Haryana Elections 2019: Congress Manifesto Promises Farm Loan Waiver, Jobs To Women

Congress has promised 33 per cent job quota for women in the government sector, cash incentives to educated jobless youth apart from farm loan waiver within 24 hours of coming to power.

Congress on Friday released its manifesto for the Haryana elections. (File Photo/ Getty)

Haryana Election 2019: With the promise of loan waiver to farmers and job reservations to women, the Congress on Friday released its manifesto for the Haryana elections to be held on October 21. It promised 33 per cent job quota for women in the government sector, cash incentives to educated jobless youth apart from farm loan waiver within 24 hours of coming to power, the manifesto said. Besides this, the party promised to bring in a strong legislation to check the menace of mob lynchings, to drastically cut electricity bills and to counter pollution caused by stubble burning by providing machines to remove it from the roots. "We will make modern equipment available to farmers to ensure that no stubble remains. If there is stubble left on the fields, in order to avoid their burning, we will give compensation to farmers for each quintal of stubble. This will also ensure a pollution-free environment," said the manifesto. For the farmers in the predominantly agricultural state, the Congress promised to ensure that their loans are waived off within 24 hours of application, and said the benefit would also be provided to landless farmers. On the pattern of neighbouring Punjab where the Congress rules, the party announced it would provide free electricity to farmers with holdings up to two acres. "We will ensure a compensation of Rs 12,000 per acre to farmers on account of crop failure due to drought, natural calamities, among others," said the 22-page manifesto that was released jointly by former Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, state unit President Kumari Selja, besides former chief minister Hooda and former minister Kiran Chaudhary. For women, it promised to provide 50 per cent reservation in Panchayati Raj institutions and in civic bodies. For widows, disabled, divorced and unmarried women, the party promised to provide a pension of Rs 5,100 per month. The Congress will give 50 per cent tax rebate on house tax for women-owned properties. Selja said that the party has also promised to give students from the Scheduled Castes and extremely Backward Classes an annual scholarship of Rs 12,000 from Class 1 to 10, and Rs 15,000 for students from Class 11 to 12. The Congress, which has slammed the current BJP state government led by Manohar Lal Khattar for its failure to provide jobs to the youth, promised to provide an unemployment allowance. Unemployed postgraduates will get Rs 10,000 per month, while undergraduates have been promised Rs 7,000 per month. "We will provide one job to every family based on capabilities," Selja told mediapersons. In education, she announced the party's intent to set up a university and medical college in every district. The Congress also said it would constitute a special investigation team to probe the misdeeds of the current government and promised to eliminate crime from the state. It promised to reduce electricity rates to half and enhance the quality of power supply. Usage of up to 300 units per month will be free and the rate for the above 300 mark will be halved.