AMN / RAIPUR
Congress party manifesto for polls bound Chhattisgarh has promised to undertake a caste-based census, provide another farm loan waiver and grant free electricity up to 200 units.
The manifesto released today also states that the Congress government, if re-elected to power, would provide a subsidy of ₹500 on cooking gas cylinders to women.
In another promise that targets female voters, the Congress said it would provide a loan waiver to women self-help groups of the state.
The party has also vowed to waive off the pending dues and loans of around 66,000 motor vehicle owners who are involved in transportation business in the state. The amount promised to be waived off adds up to ₹726 crore, and pertains to the period before 2018, as per the manifesto.
State residents would be provided a health cover of ₹10 lakh, instead of ₹5 lakh at present, under the ‘Dr Khubchand Baghel Swasthya Sahayata Yojana’, the party said, adding that the cost of treatment would be completely borne by the state in cases of road accidents.
While addressing the media in Rajnandgaon, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel stressed on the promise of caste-based census, which has emerged at the core of Congress’ campaign in Chhattisgarh and other poll-bound states.
“Caste-based census would be conducted. A caste-based census would be conducted for the scheduled caste, tribal castes, backward classes, general category and minorities. This will not just provide a political benefit to those castes that have remained backwards in these classes, but the government will also make a special policy for them and give them social and financial benefits. The caste-based census is necessary,” Baghel said.
The chief minister also noted that his government, if re-elected, would continue to provide “high” minimum support prices (MSP) to the state’s farmers. “Now the farmers will get ₹3200/quintal on paddy”, he said.
The procurement of paddy will be increased to 20 quintal per acre, the party said. Tenu leaf collection would be undertaken at ₹6,000 per standard sack, instead of ₹4,000 at present, the manifesto added, further noting that an annual bonus of ₹4,000 would also be paid.
The manifesto also makes a mention of the promise of free education to students from KG (kindergarten) to PG (post graduation), as promised by several Congress leaders during the campaign trail.
Polling in the 90 Assembly seats of Chhattisgarh will be held in two phases – on November 7 and 17. The counting of votes has been scheduled by the Election Commission on December 3.