The Indian National
Congress party today released its manifesto for the
2019 Lok Sabha elections which is to start from April 11. The manifesto was released in the presence of Congress president
Rahul Gandhi,
Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister
Manmohan Singh.
Priyanka Gandhi and other big leaders were also there.
Here are the highlights of the
Congress manifesto.
As per the party, it held 121 public consultations and 53 closed door consultations to prepare the manifesto and that it reflects the hopes of the people.
Former finance minister P Chidambaram was the head of the manifesto committee
Speaking at the press conference, Chidambaram said that the manifesto will set the narrative for the polls. "The BJP may be the ruling party today but the party is trying to take the narrative to five years back ...to divisiveness and hyper nationalism....Our manifesto is focussed on real issues of jobs," Chidambaram said.
Chidambaram said unemployment, farmer distress and security of women are top three issues. The theme of the manifesto is how to marry wealth and welfare, he added.
Speaking at the press conference, Rahul Gandhi said he instructed party members not to prepared it in closed doors. The manifesto is the voice of the people, he said. "I do not want a single thing in this manifesto that is a lie because we have been hearing large number of lies spoken everyday by our PM," he added.
The Congress manifesto has five highlights, Rahul Gandhi said.
He said that the proposed Nyay scheme would help the economy which got "jammed" due to BJP's demonetisation move. He gave the slogan:
Garibi pe waar, 72000.
Gandhi said his government will eliminate poverty through the Nyay scheme by 2030.
Gandhi also said that his government will fill the 22 lakh vacancies by March 2020. Congress promised to create an estimated 10 lakh new Seva Mitra positions in every gram panchayat and urban local body besides persuading the state governments to fill their 20 lakh vacancies.
The Congress president said that entrepreneurs will not have to seek any permission for first three years for their businessess. As per the manifesto, businesses with over 100 employees will be asked to implement an apprenticeship programme.
Rahul Gandhi also said that there should be a separate budget for farmers like the one which used to be done for the Railways.
The Congress has also promised to allocate six per cent of budget for education.
Gandhi also said that on coming to power, the public healthcare will be improved so that the poor too will have access to high quality healthcare services. "We will double expenditure on healthcare to 3 per cent of GDP by 2023-24," says the manifesto.
Rahul Gandhi said the economy needs a shock therapy and the Nyay scheme would help revive the economy.
He said that if voted to power, Congress will offer 150 days of employment under NREGA against the current 100 days provision.
Besides, the Congress manifesto has promised to review the controversial AFSPA that gives unprecedented power to security forces in disturbed zones like J&K and some parts of the North East.
The grand old party has also promised to bring fuel under GST within two years.
Congress said that it will abolish the opaque electoral bonds introduced by the NDA government and set up a National Election Fund that will be allocated at the time of elections to recognised political parties.
It has also promised to bring the Right to Homestead Act to provide a piece of land for every rural house-hold that does not own a home or own land on which a house may be built.
Meanwhile, the BJP is expected to release its manifesto in this week for the Lok Sabha elections which is to be held in seven phases from 11th April to 19th May 2019. In 2014, BJP had released its manifesto only on the morning of the first day of polling for the first phase. BJP has appointed Rajnath Singh as the in-charge of the manifesto committee.