Rajasthan assembly elections 2018: Congress releases party manifesto; focus on agrarian crisis, job creation
Rajasthan assembly elections 2018: Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot said that BJP government had closed universities set up by former Congress government and promised that those universities will be opened again.
Loan waiver to farmers, free education to girls and women, unemployment allowance of up to Rs 3,500 to educated youth and pension to elderly farmers are among the promises the Rajasthan Congress has made in its election manifesto released here on Thursday.
AICC general secretary Avinash Pande, Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and chairman of the manifesto committee Harish Choudhary released the manifesto titled ‘Jan Ghoshna Patra’.
Pilot said the party reached out to people through online and offline modes and received nearly two lakh suggestions before coming out with its manifesto. He said the party aims to implement the manifesto in a time-bound manner on formation of a Congress government in the state.
Highlighting the promises made in the manifesto, Pilot said the government will waive farmers’ loan, provide free education to girls and women and give up to Rs 3,500 monthly allowance to educated unemployed youths.
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The ruling BJP has promised a monthly allowance of up to Rs 5,000 in its manifesto released on Tuesday.
Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot said the party’s manifesto was based on “Rahul model” as people’s suggestions were taken before drafting it.
He said that BJP government had closed universities set up by former Congress government and promised that those universities will be opened again.
Gehlot said the previous government had opened universities in the name of Dalit icon Bhimrao Ambedkar and freedom fighter and Congress leader Haridev Joshi.
In the manifesto, the Congress said it would like to have agriculture equipment and tractor exempted from Goods and Services Tax.
The party said recommendation to bring petrol and diesel under GST will be made from the GST Council.
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Promoting organic farming, pension to elderly farmers, promotion to export of crops like onion, garlic, gwar and cotton, development of dairy industry, push to fisheries, wi-fi and internet facility to every panchayat, linkage of maximum villages with eastern Rajasthan canal project, free education to girls or women in government institutions were made.
The party promised to ensure quality health services to citizens, availability of wheat to BPL families at Re 1 per kg, easy monetary loans to youths and no fare in state-run buses for candidates travelling to appear in competitive exams.
It also announced to expedite work on rail connectivity in Dungarpur, Banswara and Tonk districts by working on Ajmer-Tonk-Sawaimadhopur, Dungarpur-Banswara-Ratlam railway line projects. Rail line is a prominent poll issue in Tonk where Pilot is contesting elections.
To push industrial growth, the party said, companies working in the area of robotics, artificial intelligence, nano technology, quantum computing, fifth generation wireless technologies will be promoted.
It has also promise new industry and tourism policies, promotion of local art, culture and heritage; a 24X7 women helpline, women ITI and poly-technic college in every district, increase in pension scheme for elderly people, journalists’ protection act, advocates’ protection act, implementation of accountability act, steps for the security of temples, mosques, church and all other religious places.