Firdaus Khan
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh). The Congress Party today released its Manifesto for the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Elections. The Manifesto explains the urgent need to bring back a Congress government in the State to re-start development on a fast-track, after 22 years of misrule by other parties. It lays out detailed commitments on part of the Congress Party for Uttar Pradesh in 26 different areas including: Law and Order, Good Governance, Education, Health, Employment, Food Security, Power, Roads, Agriculture, Industry and Trade, Urban and Rural Development, Environment and Water. The Manifesto addresses the need of every section of society, with a special focus on the poor, women, minorities, dalits, especially atidalits, other backward classes (OBCs), especially most backward classes (MBCs) and scheduled tribes.
To demonstrate its seriousness to the commitments made in its manifesto, the Congress Party has said that it will set up a special Election Manifesto Implementation Cell in the Chief Minister’s Office and release an Annual Report Card to the People of Uttar Pradesh.
The Manifesto is being released across 10 cities of Uttar Pradesh in Hindi, Urdu and English by senior national and state leaders. The manifesto is also available on the Party’s UP election website http://www.congressforup.org/.
KEY OF CONGRESS MANIFESTO
Law and Order (a) Make police stations accessible to every citizen and ensure friendly policing with information kiosks in police stations (b) Ensure that there is at least one Women Police Station in every district, and at least one Woman Officer is present in every Police Station at all times
Corruption Free Good Governance (a) Enhance the independence and efficiency of the Lok Ayukta and bring the Chief Minister under the purview of the Lok Ayukta (b) (b) Ensure the disclosure of all assets and income by the Chief Minister and all Ministers and their family members every year (c) Set up an effective Grievance Redress Mechanism in every government office. Set up a State Grievance Redressal Commission. Ensure that an effective Citizen’s Charter is in place
Education (a) Ensure 'har ghar mein padhai' by ensuring a school in every village and an intermediate school (inter-college) for every 2500 households (b) Launch high quality residential schools for students from BPL, minority, SC/ST, OBC (especially MBC) communities on the Andhra Pradesh model (c) Start 500 new model schools as part of the UPA Government's policy to set up 2500 model schools across the country (d) Ensure the more than 1 lakh teaching vacancies are filled up, with priority being given to SC/ST/OBC and Minority candidates
Health (a) Ensure that working functional Public Health Centres (PHCs) / CHCs with a doctor are available within walking distance of every village (b) Upgrade every district hospital in every district (c) Start an effective state-wide network of ambulances
Employment (a) Launch the Uttar Pradesh Skills and Employment Mission to provide job-relevant skills to youth of the State. 20 lakh youth will be trained and placed in jobs through this Mission in the next 5 years (b) Revamp the ITI and Polytechnic system in UP, with special focus on BPL, Minority, SC, ST and OBC (especially MBC) youth
Food Security (a) Roll out a new Food Security Bill introduced by the UPA Government to ensure that hunger and starvation are eradicated (b) Roll out a new Food Security Bill introduced by the UPA Government to ensure that hunger and starvation are eradicated (c) Improve delivery of Mid-Day Meal Scheme, ensuring that every child gets a hot cooked meal with nutritional supplements like iron and deworming tablets
Women (a) Ensure that all rural women below poverty line are made members of Bank-linked Self Help Groups in the next 5 years (b)(b) Set up a State Mahila Bank/Fund to give loans to Women’s Self-Help Groups, Women’s Organisations and Women entrepreneurs
SC/ST Welfare (a) Explore the idea of having a sub-quota for ati-dalits, to give them more opportunities in government jobs and educational institutions (b) Provide free legal aid to all rural SCs who are faced with cases relating to land, house and property related disputes filed against by them (c) Revamp the Dalit Chhaatravas (Dalit Hostels) for both girls and boys across UP which have fallen into a state of neglect under BSP government
OBCs including MBCs (a) Introduce sub-quota for Most Backward Classes, commensurate with their population (b) Carry out a special drive to ensure all vacancies of OBC quota in state government jobs are filled up
Minorities (a) Ensure full and timely implementation of the UPA government’s policy of 4.5% reservation for socially and economically backward minorities under OBC category in central government. In addition, aim towards a sub-quota/reservation for socially and economically backward minorities in UP commensurate with their population (b) Actively promote minority education and skill development, through setting up of new schools, recruitment of minority teachers, scholarships and vocational training
Social Justice (a) Free the poor from the clutches of the moneylender, and bring ‘total financial inclusion’ by ensuring that every citizen has a bank account and access to credit (b) Ensure that at least 25 percent of the procurement done by UP government is from SC, ST, OBC and Minority owned enterprises. This would be in addition to the Rs. 7000 Cr Preferential Procurement Policy of the UPA Central government
Infrastructure (a) Bring light to the home of every BPL, SC and ST household in UP by providing them free metered electricity connections (b) Endeavour to provide 100% rural households with electricity connections through effective implementation of UPA flagship scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Vidyutikaran Yojna (c) Endeavour to connect all villages of UP by all-weather roads within 5 years, through the Prime Minister's Gram Sadak Yojana (d) Upgrade the State bus network to connect every block with district headquarter (e) Seek a Special Package from the Centre for infrastructure development of backward regions of the State, on the model of the Bundelkhand package
Agriculture (a) Further revise the prices paid by the State Government to ensure that the farmers get the best possible price for their produce (b) Reform the Mandi-system to make it more farmer-friendly. Modernize the procurement system so that farmers can sell directly, reduce wastage and get a higher price (c) Ensure easily accessible agricultural loans at 6% interest rate (d) Revamp the Fertilizer distribution system to ensure that farmers get the right fertilizers at the right time and price in both Rabi and Kharif seasons (e) Launch a new Irrigation Policy that ensures effective access to water for all farmers while conserving water (f) Launch Separate and distinct ‘Missions’ to ensure adequate attention is given to the development of key agricultural areas – Pulses, Horticulture, Edible Oils (g) Launch a UP Dairy Mission on the model of AMUL, to make UP a dairy surplus state and enhance the incomes of small and marginal farmers
Industrial Development (a) Launch a New Industrial Policy for public and private sector investment in the State, with special emphasis on Micro, Small and Medium (MSME) entreprises (b) Create an industrial revival of UP by promoting traditional clusters and creating new clusters through infusion of new technology. More than 40 clusters across UP will be created or modernized
Urban and Rural Development (a) Computerise all Land Records in the State in 3 years (b) Create world class public transport, in Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Meerut, Varanasi and Allahabad modeled on the successful Delhi Metro Rail
Environment and Water (a) Launch a Mission “Clean Uttar Pradesh” with a wide-ranging mandate for environmental protection (b) Take up river cleaning on a war footing, especially of the Ganga, Yamuna, Gomti, Saryu, Ghagra.