Dehradun: A ‘Nyay’ scheme to provide a monetary allowance to unemployed young people, as well as 4 lakh new jobs, 40 per cent reservation for women in government employment, a new land law, facilities for pilgrims, and a promise to keep the price of LPG gas cylinders below Rs 500 — these are some of the pledges the Congress has made in its manifesto for the Uttarakhand assembly polls, to be held on 14 February.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra released the more than 60-page manifesto, titled ‘Uttarakhandi Swabhiman Pratigyan’, in Dehradun Wednesday, in the presence of party leaders cutting across factional lines.
The party emphasised former chief minister Harish Rawat’s pledge on LPG cylinder prices, which he has been highlighting for more than a month along with a promise of 300 units of free power. The party’s campaign has placed Rawat in a central role.
Speaking on the occasion, Priyanka said, “The Congress will not let the LPG cylinder prices go beyond Rs 500. If it costs Rs 1000 for you, the Congress government will pay the balance, but won’t allow the people to pay more than that.”
As reported by ThePrint, the manifesto attempts to address unemployment in the state. Priyanka said, “Our government will also provide 4 lakh jobs to the people of Uttarakhand, and 40 per cent reservation to women in government jobs, similar to what we have promised in Uttar Pradesh. Apart from this, there will be a special tourism package to strengthen the economy of the state.”
The manifesto also speaks of starting 21 types of pension schemes to benefit different sections of society, and a Rs 5-lakh credit card for every postgraduate student in the state.
‘Nyay’ for unemployed youth
Through the ‘Nyay’ scheme, the Congress manifesto promises a monetary allowance for young people who have been unemployed for more than three years.
It derives from a pledge in the party’s 2019 general election campaign. The proposed Nyuntam Aay Yojana (Nyay) promised a law under which the Congress would distribute cash — up to Rs 72,000 annually — to all Indian families who were in the bottom 20 per cent in terms of income.
In Chhattisgarh, where the Congress, led by Chief Minister Bhupesh Bhagel, has been in power since 2018, the government enacted a scheme along similar lines for farmers in 2020. Under the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana, farmers are paid a fixed amount that’s transferred directly to their bank accounts.
According to party leaders in Uttarakhand, the new scheme proposed in the manifesto will be similar to Chhattisgarh’s programme, only targeting different beneficiaries.
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Pledges for pilgrims
The manifesto has something for each of three different religious groups — Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs.
The Congress has promised a drive to make the ‘Char Dham’ Hindu pilgrimage sites in the state — Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath, and Kedarnath — plastic-free, with the use of plastic bottles and water containers discouraged. It has also pledged to provide RO water for pilgrims.
The party has also undertaken to develop Piran Kaliyar Sharif, a well-known Islamic centre in Haridwar, and the Sikhs’ Hemkunt Sahib Gurdwara in Chamoli, into international pilgrimage sites.
In addition, it has promised to promote formal education in Uttarakhand’s madrasas, and provide special bridge courses to help madrasa students to study at universities.
Helicopters vs sugarcane
Before the manifesto was released, Priyanka addressed a virtual rally from Dehradun in which she took a jibe at the Narendra Modi government’s alleged purchase of two aircraft for the prime minister’s use. While the Congress has made similar allegations previously, the claims have not been confirmed.
“Sugarcane farmers across the country are owed Rs. 14,000 crore, but the central government is unwilling to pay for it. On the other hand, they have purchased two helicopters worth ₹16,000 crore for the personal use of the prime minister,” she said.
“This money could have easily been used to pay the farmers’ dues. Sadly, no media is willing to bring this to the knowledge of the people,” she added.
(Edited by Rohan Manoj)
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