Congress manifesto in Haryana to feature loan waivers, higher pension, stipend for unemployed

The Congress manifesto, which is being prepared, is likely to include a number of populist sops, including loan waiver for farmers and backward castes, increased

The Congress manifesto, which is being prepared, is likely to include a number of populist sops, including loan waiver for farmers and backward castes, increased pension to senior citizens and stipend for the unemployed youth. Newly appointed state party spokesperson Ved Prakash Vidrohi outlined the draft manifesto during a press conference at Kaman Sarai in Gurugram, on Tuesday. Congress candidate from Gurgaon, Sukhbir Kataria, and senior party functionaries were also present at the event.

HT Image

Stating that the present BJP government had not done anything to bring relief to farmers, Vidrohi said the Congress would waive loans taken by farmers if it was voted to power. “Loan waiver for most-backward communities, plots to BPL families, higher pension for senior citizens, regularization of contractual workers, these would be the backbone of the party’s manifesto,” he said, adding that the party would also ensure the salary given to government employees is on par with what is paid in Punjab and that a stipend of ₹10,000 per month is paid to unemployed youth.

Regularization of contractual workers and salary on par with counterparts in Punjab have been the root-cause of numerous strikes by workers across the state.

Vidrohi said that to ensure that for BPL women would get ‘chulha kharch’ (kitchen expenditure) of ₹2,000 per month on the lines of Ujjawala Yojana run by Central government through the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Referring to BJP sidelining senior party leaders and sitting MLAs while distributing tickets, Vidhrohi said that there is a lot of disquiet among BJP supporters and that it was going to help the Congress. “There is a strong sentiment that several deserving BJP candidates have been denied a ticket and this will help us,” he said.

Congress’ Gurgaon candidate Sukhbir Kataria said they would fight the election on the basis of facts and not on emotional issues, as done by the BJP. “The Congress government set up an AIIMS, four medical colleges, defence university, brought Metro to Gurugram, set up four railway lines and much more. The BJP has not even a single kilometre of Metro line has been extended in the city and the proposed universities are still on paper,” he said.

The BJP, meanwhile, said that opposition had no real issues and similar promises made in Rajashtan, Madhya Pradesh and other states, where it came to power, have remained on paper. “On 115 out of the 118 poll promises made, we have either completed work or work is in progress. The Metro projects in Faridabad and Bahadurgarh have been completed by us,” BJP spokesperson Raman Malik said.