A million government jobs, free electricity of up to 300 units, the old pension scheme for government employees, medical insurance of ₹10 lakh for every individual and ₹4 lakh compensation for the families of those who died in the COVID-19 pandemic are some of the promises the Opposition party in Gujarat has offered in its manifesto declared on Saturday.
In the manifesto released on Saturday, the grand old party, which has been out of power in the State for more than two decades, also promised unemployment allowance of ₹3,000 per month, ₹2,000 pension to specially-abled persons, widows, senior citizens and needy women, and waiver of loans of up to ₹3 lakh to all fishermen and farmers, among other things.
“It’s our commitment to the people of the State. This document will be made the official document of the government if the party is voted to power,” Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot told media persons while releasing the party’s manifesto.
In Gujarat polls, 89 Assembly segments vote in the first phase on December 1. The second phase, for the remaining 93 of the 182 seats, will be held on December 5, and the results will be out on December 8 along with that of Himachal Pradesh.
The Opposition party has been banking on attracting OBCs, STs, SCs and minorities in a bid to take on the BJP, which has a robust base in the urban areas and cities, but is not equally strong in hinterland and villages across the State.
“As suggested by party leader Rahul Gandhi, we will form a commission for the implementation of our manifesto and turn it into a government document after the Congress forms a government in the State. We will maintain the sanctity of our manifesto,” Mr. Gehlot said after unveiling it.
The promises the party’s poll document contained were made by party leader Rahul Gandhi, who had addressed a massive rally in Ahmedabad a day before embarking upon his Bharat Jodo Yatra from Tamil Nadu in the first week of September.
The Opposition party has borrowed the welfare schemes and old pension scheme for the State employees from the party-ruled neighbouring Rajasthan where the Gehlot government has introduced novel welfare schemes like ₹10 lakh health insurance, urban employment guarantee scheme, and subsidised food through Indira canteens.
“In Rajasthan, we have made health services free up to ₹10 lakh that includes medicines, medical scans and transplants, for which, people have to often mortgage their homes and sell their jewellery. Similarly, we will implement the scheme in Gujarat as well,” he said on Saturday.
The party has also offered a subsidy to dairy farmers, who supply milk to the State’s vast network of cooperative dairies across the villages in the State.
Other promises the party has made in its poll document are regarding the opening of 3,000 English medium schools, cooking gas cylinders at ₹500 and 50% quota for women in government jobs, and discontinuing of contractual and outsourcing system for the staff in the government and State PSUs.
