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The party’s highest decision-making body Congress Working Committee (CWC), which met during the day, authorised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to give the final approval to the manifesto and decide a date for its release.
Addressing a press conference after the CWC meeting, party leaders K C Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh said the CWC has prepared a roadmap for taking the party’s guarantees to the grassroots.
Ramesh said the Congress will release not just a “ghoshna patra (manifesto)” but a “nyay patra” so that people see a bright future.
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Ramesh said the aim is to take the guarantees under the “Panch Nyay” — “Nari Nyay”, “Shramik Nyay”, “Kisaan Nyay”, “Yuva Nyay” and “Hissedari Nyay” — to every household with the aim “ghar ghar guarantee”.
The manifesto of the Congress would focus on the five “nyays” under which it has made 25 guarantees.
Under the “Yuva Nyay”, the party has promised “Bharti Bharosa” — 30 lakh new central government jobs, according to a jobs calendar.
Under the “Pehli Naukri Pakki”, the Congress has promised a one-year paid apprenticeship for all educated youths at Rs 1 lakh a year or Rs 8,500 a month.
The party has promised a law to ensure government recruitment examination question papers are not leaked and also better working conditions and social security for gig workers.
Under its “Yuva Roshni” guarantee, the party has promised a Rs 5,000-crore start-up fund for the youth.
As part of the “Nari Nyay”, the Congress has promised the “Mahalakshmi” guarantee of Rs 1 lakh a year for one woman in every poor family.
The party has also promised 50 per cent reservation for women in new central government jobs and double salary contribution of the Centre for all ASHA, anganwadi, and mid-day meal workers.
It has also promised “Adhikar Maitri” in every village to ensure women get their legal rights. The party has also promised doubling the number of hostels for working women.
Under “Kisaan Nyay”, the Congress has promised a legal guarantee to minimum support price (MSP) for crops at the Swaminathan formula, and a standing loan waiver commission for farmers, if it comes to power.
It has also guaranteed insurance payment within 30 days of crop loss and a stable import-export policy to benefit farmers. The party has also promised no GST on inputs for farming.
As part of its “Shramik Nyay” guarantees, the Congress has promised a right to health law that provides universal healthcare, including free essential diagnostics, medicines, treatment, surgery, and rehabilitative and palliative care
It has also promised a national minimum wage of Rs 400 a day, including all MGNREGS workers.
The Congress has also promised an employment guarantee act for urban areas, life insurance and accident insurance for unorganised workers and stopping contractualisation of employment in core government functions.
Under its “Hissedari Nyay”, the party has promised social, economic and caste census. It has also promised removing the 50 per cent cap on SC, ST and OBC reservation through a constitutional amendment and a special budget for SC and ST equal to the share of their population.
If it comes to power, the Congress has also vowed to settle Forest Rights Act claims in one year and promised that all habitations where STs are the most populous group will be notified scheduled areas.
The CWC discussed the party’s manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls for over three hours and decided to reach out to every household with its five “Nyay” guarantees for the youth, women, workers, farmers and marginalised sections.
Sources said the manifesto also includes the promise of implementing the old pension scheme (OPS) across the country and a law to ensure the independence of constitutional institutions and stop “misuse” of agencies.