- Slew of welfare measures for farmers, women, youth, KPs
Srinagar, Sept 16: The Congress on Monday released its manifesto for the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, promising a slew of welfare measures for farmers, women and the youth, promising restoration of Statehood and Durbar Move, but keeping mum on restoration of Article 370, a major poll plank of its ally National Conference.
The highlight of the manifesto — Haath Badlega Halaat — is insurance for all crops against natural calamities and a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 72 per kilogram for apple.
The manifesto was released by AICC chief spokesperson Pawan Khera and PCC president Tariq Hameed Karra at the party office here.
“We will provide an additional financial support of Rs 4,000 for landless, tenant, and land-owning farming households per year. We will also arrange 99-year leases to landless farmers cultivating state land,” Khera said.
He said a Rs 2,500-crore fund will be set up for all district-level irrigation projects to ensure 100 per cent irrigation for farmers in Jammu and Kashmir.
For the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, the party promised an unemployment allowance of up to Rs 3,500 per month for one year to qualified youths.
The party promised to fill one lakh vacant government posts by issuing a job calendar within 30 days.
The manifesto promised that J&K will get first rights to the hydropower produced in the state, thus ensuring 24 x 7 electricity, along with free electricity up to 100 units per month for BPL households.
“We will actively pursue the return of NHPC hydel projects to J&K; NHPC will be asked to fulfill its social commitment of providing free electricity to residents within 10 km of the vicinity of hydro projects and the government will suspend the installation of smart meters until there is a consensus,” it said.
The manifesto promises to revive special border recruitment for police, fire brigade and forest protection force. It also promised to revive the scheme for allotment of 30 per cent construction work-related contracts to unemployed engineers’ groups.
“We will simplify the verification process for all government jobs, passports and other purposes by making them time-bound and simplified to check undue harassment,” the manifesto reads.
The manifesto said that the party will provide inclusive and accountable governance by ensuring that the Central Government grants statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
“We will restore the 149-year tradition of Summer and Winter Capitals in Srinagar and Jammu respectively by passing in the first resolution of the first Assembly session in favour of the Durbar Move,” it said.
It also spoke of giving first preference to those domiciled in Jammu and Kashmir for jobs, government contracts, land allocation and natural resource concessions.
The manifesto spoke about restoring the Legislative Council and adding constituencies to represent sections that are inadequately represented in the Assembly such as OBCs, Minorities, Ex-Servicemen, pensioners, teachers, experts etc, besides holding Panchayat and Urban Local Body (ULB) elections under the 73rd & 74th Constitutional amendments at the earliest.
“There will be no evictions from lands in continuous occupation by poor people and farmers – especially landless, small and marginal farmers – until a fair and transparent land policy is prepared within six months. Forest dwellers will also be conferred rights under the Forest Rights Act within six months,” it said.
The manifesto promised reopening old forest depots and allowing locals to access Deodar and Pine timber, along with granting rights over herbs, fallen timber and grazing for forest fringe villagers under the Non-Timber Forest Produce Policy
Khera said Jammu and Kashmir’s “heart has been wounded” over the past 10 years and time has come to heal these wounds.
“The long night has ended and a new dawn is upon us. Haath badlega Jammu aur Kashmir ke haalaat. The Congress will heal the wounds,” he said.
Khera repeated the poll promises made by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge during his visit to the Union Territory last week.
“During the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, the women of Jammu and Kashmir put forth their concerns to Rahul Gandhi and other leaders. We have promised Mahila Samman programme under which we will give Rs 3000 monthly assistance to the woman head of the family. An interest-free loan of rupees five lakh will be given to women self-help groups,” the Congress leader said.
He said health insurance of Rs 25 lakh will be provided to each family.
The Congress spokesman said a minority commission will be formed in Jammu and Kashmir within 100 days of coming to power. He said the promise made by former prime minister Manmohan Singh with regard to the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits will also be fulfilled.
Khera alleged the Union Territory has been turned into a “graveyard of dreams” in the past 10 years.
Khera said the manifesto was compiled by 20 district committees constituted for the purpose of knowing the issues of the people on the ground.
“We have given guarantees and these are the right of the people. This is our promise and we will fulfil it,” he said referring to the manifesto.
Asked about Congress’ stand on restoration of Article 370 — the main election plank of its ally National Conference — Khera said a committee will be formed for drafting a common minimum programme for the INDIA bloc government in Jammu and Kashmir.
“As far as Article 370 is concerned, our stand is clear and reflected in the CWC resolution on the issue,” he said.
