Congress promises to create jobs, waive loans in UP manifesto
What's the story
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra released the party's election manifesto for Uttar Pradesh polls on Wednesday. The party announced sops for COVID warriors, farmers, medium-scale enterprises, and teachers. If Congress wins, 'false' charges against journalists would be dropped, said Vadra. She said that the manifesto is exactly what the general population has wanted and talked about.
Context
Why does the story matter?
The development comes just a few hours before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its manifesto on Tuesday which also talked about various welfare schemes for the farmers, including better minimum support price and free electricity. Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has promised to make farmers debt-free by 2025 in its manifesto along with other freebies.
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"Farmers' loans will be waived"
"Like Chhattisgarh, farmers' loans will be waived as soon as our government is formed. Paddy and wheat will be purchased at Rs.2500 per quintal and sugarcane at Rs.400 per quintal. Electricity bill will be halved, dues of the pandemic period will be waived," said Vadra.
Jobs
20 lakh government jobs
Vadra further added that families that have been hit the most by the pandemic will be given Rs. 25,000. She said that if voted to power, Congress would create 20 lakh government jobs. "A huge backlog of 12 lakh jobs will be filled in the public sector, including police, healthcare, and education. Apart from this, eight lakh more jobs will be given," said Vadra.
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What else is there in the manifesto?
Godhan Nyay Yojana, Rs. 5,000 salary for school cooks, nearby posting for women cops, Rs. 50 lakh compensation for COVID warriors, regularization of ad-hoc teachers based on experience, and free treatment for up to ten lakh people are among the promises made by Congress.
Information
PM not doing enough for small traders: Priyanka
Vadra also mentioned the tragic attempted suicide of a debt-ridden shoe merchant in Baghpat. The trader accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not doing enough for the small traders and consumed poison. "This is very sad but there are similar scenes across UP, small traders are hassled and there is no support from the government," said Vadra.
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Congress' third manifesto for UP
Earlier, in December and January, Vadra and her brother, Rahul Gandhi, announced manifestos for the women and youth respectively. "We have released three manifestos - for women, for youth, and the general one. Everything is based on suggestions from the public. We talked to one lakh people, including common people, laborers, farmers, and people of all classes. This is a public manifesto," said Vadra.
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UP elections to begin on Thursday
Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections will be held in seven phases and are scheduled to begin on February 10. In the first phase, 58 assembly seats divided over 11 districts will go to the polls. Results will be declared on March 10.