Employment generation, hike in welfare pension, providing basic amenities to all sections and evolving action plans for carbon neutrality are some of the key planks included by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in its manifesto for the local body elections.
LDF convener and CPI(M) acting State secretary A. Vijayaraghavan, CPI national executive member Pannian Ravindran and Nationalist Congress Party leader and Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran on Monday launched the 16-page document that moots the slogan ‘A Vote for Development, a Vote for Social Harmony’.
10 lakh jobs
The coalition pitches for generating 10 lakh jobs through local self-government institutions (LSGIs) during the next five years. While half of the target will be achieved by ensuring an expansion of the job sector, the rest will be through small and medium-sized enterprises promoted in other sectors.
A large chunk of jobs promised in the agricultural sector is envisaged by doubling the number of Kudumbashree-driven joint liability groups in the State. While around 3 lakh women were employed by 70,000 farming groups currently, the LDF hopes to create another 3 lakh jobs by increasing the number of such collectives to 1.5 lakh. They have also pledged to employ 3.5 lakh more people through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
While the State government has raised welfare pension to ₹1,400 (from ₹600 during the previous UDF government’s term), the LDF promises to hike it further to ₹1,500 from January 1.
Houses for all sections
Setting sights on the next phase of the LIFE Mission, the coalition promises to meet the estimated requirement of around 5 lakh houses to ensure housing for all sections. They have also promised to provide everyone with food, water and electricity.
In addition to promising permanent waste management solutions, the LDF manifesto also delves on environmental conservation. Hoping to extend the ongoing steps to achieve carbon neutrality, each Local Self Government Institution will evolve local action plans on climate change.
The LDF concludes its manifesto by touching upon recent controversies, including those surrounding the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), urging voters to ensure the coalition’s victory to protect the State’s interests.