Haryana Assembly polls: Congress bets on ‘freebies’ in Haryana poll manifesto

Key promises include a ₹2,000 monthly allowance for women, a ₹6,000 pension for seniors, widows, disabled, 300 units of free electricity per household; vows to conduct caste survey, enact MSP law, restore OPS

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with former CM of Haryana Bhupender Singh Hooda, K.C. Venugopal and others released the Congress manifesto of 7 guarantees for Haryana ahead of State assembly polls, at AICC HQ in New on 18 September, 2024.  | Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

As the Congress seeks to wrest back power from the ruling BJP in Haryana, it is promising a slew of ‘freebies’ in an attempt to garner support ahead of the State’s Assembly election, slated for October 5.

In its poll manifesto released on Wednesday, the party promised to pay a monthly allowance of ₹2,000 to each woman between the ages of 18 and 60 years if it comes to power in the State. Other such ‘guarantees’ include 300 units of free electricity to all households, a legal guarantee for minimum support prices (MSPs) for crops, and a caste survey.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge released the manifesto in the national capital, with the slogan of ‘Saat Vaade, Pakke Irade (Seven Promises, Firm Intentions)‘. Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal, Haryana Congress president Udai Bhan, and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda were among those present.

Pension promises

Apart from the allowance for women, a pension of ₹6,000 will be given to all senior citizens, people with disabilities, and widows, the Congress said. A vow to implement the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees has also been included in the manifesto.

The party promised schemes to provide cooking gas cylinders for ₹500 each; free medical treatment up to ₹25 lakh; free electricity up to 300 units; and free plots of 100 yards and ‘pucca’ houses. The Congress said it would ensure permanent recruitment for two lakh vacant posts in government departments, and enact a law to guarantee MSPs for crops.

Caste survey

The party said it would increase the income limit for the creamy layer among other backward classes (OBCs) from ₹6 lakh to ₹10 lakh, and vowed to conduct a survey to find out the population of all castes in the State.

Mr. Hooda said that the Congress is committed to fulfilling its promises. “Earlier, our government fulfilled every promise of the manifesto released in 2005 and 2009 and worked even beyond that. In future also, the Congress government will fulfil every promise, while the BJP has not implemented its 2014 manifesto till date,” he said.

Published - September 18, 2024 02:59 pm IST