Haryana Polls: Congress Promises Legal MSP, Caste Survey, Memorial For ‘Martyred’ Farmers In 7 ‘Guarantees’

Haryana election: Congress pledges seven guarantees, including legal MSP guarantee, caste survey, and welfare measures for women, youth, and the poor.

New Delhi, Sep 18 (PTI) Ahead of the Haryana Assembly polls, the Congress on Wednesday announced seven guarantees, including the promises of a legal guarantee for MSP and a caste survey, if voted to power.

The guarantees were announced in the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, and AICC senior observers for the polls Ashok Gehlot, Ajay Maken and Partap Singh Bajwa.

Addressing the press conference, Kharge also promised to build a huge memorial in Haryana for the "martyrs" of the farmers' movement against the three farm laws that were withdrawn by the Modi government.

"All the farmers, who gave their lives and were martyred, we have promised to give jobs to their children," he said.

The other guarantees include women empowerment, strengthening social security, a secure future for the youth, welfare of families and houses for the poor.

"We will implement these guarantees and that is why we have named it 'Saat Vaade, Pakke Irade'," Kharge said.

Under the rubric 'empowerment of women', the Congress promised gas cylinders for Rs 500 and monthly Rs 2,000 to every woman between 18-60 years.

To strengthen social security, the party promised a Rs 6,000 monthly pension for the elderly, disabled, and widows, and reinstating the old pension scheme.

Under the secure future for youth, the Congress promised 2 lakh permanent government jobs and an addiction-free Haryana.

The party also promised to provide 300 units of free electricity and free medical treatment of up to Rs 25 lakh.

Under farmers' welfare, the Congress promised a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) and immediate compensation for crop failure. It also assured a caste survey and extending the limit of creamy layer from Rs 6 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

The Congress also promised 100 yards (100 gaz) plot and a two-room house of Rs 3.5 lakh.

Kharge said the welfare of journalists is also on the Congress' agenda and it promises cashless treatment facility for them in Haryana and increasing their pension.

"You will find many things for the welfare of all in our election manifesto. But the seven promises that I have made ...will be implemented," he said.

Talking about the promise of caste survey, Kharge said, "We had raised the issue of rights for backward classes, caste census in Parliament and we also promoted it in the parliamentary elections." "In the same way, here in our Haryana, they will try their best to conduct a caste survey because if you want to know about people of every community, people of every caste, where they stand, where they stand in welfare schemes, what is their position in income, what is their position in education, what is their position in jobs, then this caste survey is necessary," he said.

In his remarks, Bhan said when the Congress was in power and Bhupinder Hooda was the Chief Minister, Haryana was number one among all states in sports, agriculture, infrastructure, per capita income and per capita investment.

"The Congress party has resolved to make Haryana number one again in education, health, agriculture, sports, industry, security of women and business. In the Lok Sabha elections 2024, the people of Haryana have shown their commitment towards a public welfare party by giving a befitting reply to the BJP," he said.

Voting for the 90-member assembly will take place on October 5 while the counting of votes will be done on October 8. 

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)