Congress releases party manifesto for Lok Sabha elections

The Congress today released its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections in which the party has promised to ensure minimum income guarantee to the poor and provide jobs. Addressing a gathering after releasing the manifesto in New Delhi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said, under the minimum guarantee scheme named as Nyay Yojana, the party has promised to give 72 thousand rupees annually to five crore poor families constituting 20 per cent of total population in their bank accounts with the monthly instalment of 6000 rupees

On the issues of employment, he said, the party has promised to fill up the 22 lakh vacant posts by March 2020 and provide employment to 10 lakh youth in Gram Panchayats. Over the issue of BJP’s criticism of MGNREGA, Mr Rahul Gandhi said, if the party is voted to power, it will raise the man-dates from existing 100 days to 150 days. He also said, for three years the youth of India need not require any permission for starting their businesses.
On education, the Congress President said, the party has promised to spend six percent of total GDP on education and creation of a separate budget to address the concerns of the country’s farmers. He also said, the manifesto has promised to make loan default by farmers a civil offence instead of a criminal offence. He said, the party has promised to review Armed Forces Special Powers Act, scrapping of NITI Aayog and reconstituting Planning Commission.

It has also promised to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill to provide reservation of 33 percent seats to women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies and comprehensive review of Public Sector Banks to make them robust and competitive with healthy balance-sheet.