A Z NAWAB / PATANA
The Mahagathbandhan, INDIA bloc’s today released its manifesto for the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar. The manifesto promises jobs for every family, free electricity, revival of the old pension scheme, higher welfare payouts for women, and protection of minority rights
Guaranteed jobs, free electricity, higher incomes, industrial development, and a “crime-free” Bihar are among the promises made by the INDIA bloc in its manifesto for the Bihar Assembly elections released on Tuesday.
The 32-page document, titled ‘Bihar ka Tejashwi Paran’ (Tejashwi’s Resolve), is named after the bloc’s chief ministerial candidate and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav. It was released at a press conference in Patna in the presence of senior leaders of the alliance, including Yadav, Congress leader Pawan Khera, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahni.
Here are some of the key promises of manifesto:
A law guaranteeing a government job for one member of every family will be introduced within 20 days of the formation of the government, the document stated. It added that a youth employment guarantee scheme would be implemented across Bihar within 20 months of the government taking office.
The manifesto further stated that all contractual employees working in the Bihar government departments will be made permanent. It also promised that all Jeevika Didis (community mobilisers) would be made permanent and receive a monthly salary of ₹30,000.
The alliance also promises the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) if brought to power.
Under the Mai-Behin Maan Yojana, women will receive financial assistance of ₹2,500 per month from 1 December, and ₹30,000 per year for the next five years.
It also stated that a Beti-Mai scheme would be launched to focus on education, training, and employment opportunities for young women, as well as housing, nutrition, and income support for elderly women.
Every family will receive 200 units of free electricity, the manifesto added.
The constitutional rights of all minority communities will be protected, the manifesto said, adding that the Waqf Amendment Bill will be put on hold, and the management of Waqf properties will be made transparent, welfare-oriented, and beneficial.
Farmers will be guaranteed procurement of all crops at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). The Mandi and Market Committee system will be revived, with mandis set up at the divisional, sub-divisional, and block levels. It also said that the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act will be reinstated.
Every citizen will be provided free health insurance cover of up to ₹25 lakh under the Jan Swasthya Suraksha Yojana.
To raise the 50 per cent reservation limit in proportion to the population, a law passed by the state legislature will be sent to the Central Government for inclusion in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, the manifesto said.
It also promised that reservations for the backward classes will be increased in the Panchayat and Municipal bodies.
The Bihar elections are scheduled to take place on November 6 and 11, with results to be announced on November 14.