With its eyes on the rural sector voters, the Congress Tuesday released its manifesto for Rajasthan Assembly elections promising a slew of schemes for farmers including interest-free loan up to Rs 2 lakh from cooperative banks and MSP as per the Swaminathan Commission recommendations. Rajasthan is going to polls on November 25 and results will be declared on December 3.
The party promised 150 day' employment under MGNREGA in place of present 125 days annually, inclusion of taxi drivers in Gig Workers Act, Accountability and Auto Service Delivery Act for accountable and good governance, formation of inclusive policy think tank and monthly honorarium to Panchayati Raj public representatives.
The manifesto also vowed to conduct a caste survey and schemes for the youth, including 10 lakh job opportunities, and a new scheme for recruitment at panchayat level. The Congress wants to create a cadre of Panchayati Raj like state and central services and a new policy for recruitment at the panchayat level will be brought. He said 10 lakh jobs will be created and four lakh among them will be in the government sector.
Doubling the amount for beneficiaries under the Chiranjeevi Health Insurance scheme to Rs 50 lakh annually and interest-free loan up to Rs 5 lakh to small traders are among the other announcements made in the Congress manifesto for Rajasthan elections. The party also promised reservation to minorities on basis of their population after the caste census.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra, chairman of the manifesto committee CP Joshi and former deputy CM Sachin Pilot jointly released the manifesto at the party office in Jaipur.
The manifesto lists seven guarantees that have already been announced by Gehlot, which include an annual honorarium of Rs 10,000 to women head of family, LPG cylinders for Rs 500 to 1.05 crore families, purchase of dung from cattle rearers for Rs 2 per kg, law for old pension scheme (OPS) for government employees, laptop or tablet to students taking admission in government colleges, insurance cover up to Rs 15 lakh per family to compensate losses due to natural calamities and school education in English medium.
Kharge said all promises made in the manifesto will be fulfilled on formation of the Congress government. "We make promises which we can fulfil," he asserted.