A Dalit home minister, sub-quota for OBC communities, a scheme to tackle stray cattle menace; and waiving farm loans within ten days of coming to power are some of the promises made by the Congress in its manifesto for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.
Party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra released the manifesto, titled “Unnati Vidhan,” in the State capital Lucknow on Wednesday. With the focus on farmers, the manifesto promises to waive all farm loans within 10 days of the party coming to power. The Congress also said it will purchase wheat and paddy at ₹2,500 per quintal, and sugarcane at ₹400 per quintal.
Ms. Vadra also offered a solution to the stray cattle menace in U.P. by replicating the Chhattisgarh-model. The party also promised acompensation of ₹3,000 per acre of farm land damaged by stray cattle or other animals. Also, to incentivise cattle rearing and to tackle stray cattle menace, the Congress has offered to purchase cow dung at ₹2 per kilo from farmers. A similar model exists in Chhattisgarh, where the Congress rules, under the Godhan Nyay Yojana, said Ms Vadra.
The party has also reached out to the Dalit constituency in the State by promising free education from kindergarten to post graduation (KG to PG) to members of the community. If voted to power, the Home Minister of the state will also be a Dalit, the Congress said in its manifesto.
The party has also tried to attract the attention of backward class voters, the largest chunk in the state, by promising sub-quota of the OBC reservation.
Apart from this, the party also promised to halve the electricity bills, and waive off the pending dues of people during COVID-19. Ms. Vadra later tweeted, “The Congress party believes that the people of U.P. deserve a government that focuses on the people’s welfare and progress. The people of the State want a political system that can bring about a positive change in their lives.”
