Unemployment Allowance, Cashback Schemes, 300 Units Free Power - Congress Releases Its Delhi Poll Manifesto

Presenting the manifesto, Delhi Congress chief Subhash Chopra said the party will provide free power up to 300 unit per month and subsidy up to 600 units on residential connections.

The Congress party on Sunday launched its manifesto for the February 8 Delhi Assembly election.

New Delhi: The Congress party on Sunday launched its manifesto for the February 8 Delhi Assembly election. The grand-old party promised to provide a cashback scheme for water and power consumers and implement unemployment allowance of Rs 5,000-7,500 per month, if voted to power. Presenting the manifesto, Delhi Congress chief Subhash Chopra said the party will provide free power up to 300 unit per month and subsidy up to 600 units on residential connections. Currently, the AAP government is providing free electricity up to 200 units and there is a 50 per cent subsidy for the usage of 201-400 units. The party also promised to provide free electricity up to 200 units to all small/commercial establishments having connected load of less than 5kW. Besides, the manifesto also read, "Pani Bachao, Paisa Kamao: INC will launch a flagship water tariff scheme whereby a cashback will be provided to households conserving water. If any household has used less than the free 20,000 litres of water, then proportional cashback will be provided on the water bill." The Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had introduced the scheme of free water up to 20,000 litres to every household in 2015. The Congress party has promised to continue the same with added perk on conserving the water. The party said that it hopes to incentivise water conservation through this scheme.

We have launched our 2020 Manifesto. Our manifesto is an inclusive manifesto that reflects the hopes and aspirations of all Delhiites. You can read our Manifesto here: https://t.co/mBqFHMlHxj#AisiHogiCongressWaliDilli pic.twitter.com/gInHC1Sc0C

— Delhi Congress (@INCDelhi) February 2, 2020

On the other hand, the party also promised to pass a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, and approach the Supreme Court against the new law if it comes to power in Delhi. "In the very first Assembly session, the Indian National Congress (INC) shall pass a resolution in the Delhi Assembly demanding the Centre to drop the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) brought by the BJP. This CAA is against the basic spirit of the Constitution," the manifesto read. Congress said that it will approach the apex court challenging the constitutional validity of the amended citizenship law, under Article 131, which says that the Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction in any dispute between the Centre and the state. "INC stands in solidarity with everyone who has raised the Indian flag in support of Indian Constitution and in opposition to the BJP's version of National Population Register (NPR), the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens (NRC)," it added. So far, three states -- Rajasthan, Kerala and Punjab -- have passed resolutions against the amended citizenship law, which is facing protests and opposition across the country. It also said that the INC "will not implement NRC" and "NPR in its current form" in Delhi. The CAA grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh if they entered India on or before December 31, 2014. Delhi Congress president Subhash Chopra and party leaders Anand Sharma and Ajay Maken on Sunday released the party manifesto for the upcoming Assembly election in the city, which is scheduled for February 8. (with inputs from ANI)