Rajasthan Congress promises to waive farm loans, provide free education to women
Jaipur, Nov 29: Loan waiver to farmers, free education to girls and women, unemployment allowance of up to Rs 3,500 to educated youth and pension to elderly farmers are among the promises the Rajasthan Congress has made in its election manifesto released here on Thursday.
AICC general secretary Avinash Pande, Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and manifesto committee chairman Harish Choudhary released the document titled 'Jan Ghoshna Patra' ahead of the December 7 election.
Pilot said the Congress reached out to people in various ways, including on social media, and received nearly two lakh suggestions for the manifesto. He said the party aims to implement the manifesto in a time-bound manner on formation of a Congress government in Rajasthan, which has 200 assembly seats.
Highlighting the promises made in the manifesto, Pilot said the government will waive farmers' loan, provide free education to girls and women and give up to Rs 3,500 monthly allowance to educated unemployed youths.
The ruling BJP has promised a monthly allowance of up to Rs 5,000 in its manifesto released on Tuesday.
Gehlot said the party's manifesto was based on "Rahul model" as people's suggestions were taken before drafting it. He claimed the BJP government has closed universities set up by the Congress government and promised that they will be reopened.
In the manifesto, the Congress said it would like to have agriculture equipment and tractor exempted from the Goods and Services Tax. It said recommendation to bring petrol and diesel under the GST will be made to the GST Council.
The opposition party promised to promote organic farming, give pension to elderly farmers, develop dairy industry, give push to fisheries, provide internet facility in every panchayat, link villages with eastern Rajasthan canal project.
It promised to ensure quality health services to citizens, availability of wheat to BPL families at Re 1 per kg, easy monetary loans to the youth and no fare in state-run buses for candidates travelling to appear in competitive exams.
It said it will expedite work on rail connectivity in Dungarpur, Banswara and Tonk districts if it comes to power in the state.
Rail line is a prominent poll issue in Tonk where Pilot is contesting the poll.
To push industrial growth, the party said, companies working in the fields of robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology and quantum computing will be promoted.
It has promised new industry and tourism policies, promotion of local art, culture and heritage; a 24X7 women helpline, an ITI and poly-technic college for women in every district, increase in pension amount for the elderly, a journalists' protection act, an advocates' protection act and steps for security of religious places.
It has also promised to run desert area development programmes, make efforts include Rajasthani language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution and set up a separate body for welfare of people who migrated to India from Pakistan.
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No more street vending on B’luru’s main roads, as govt plans to bring new policy for street hawkers
Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday said that the state government has decided to formulate a new policy for footpaths in Bengaluru, under which street vending will not be allowed on main roads and sub-main roads.
Addressing the media after a budget preparation meeting and executive meeting of GBA corporations at Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar said discussions were held with MLAs from the GBA region regarding the corporations’ budgets and key civic issues.
Leader of Opposition R. Ashok also participated in the meeting and shared his views. Officials from multiple departments, including police, BESCOM, BMRCL, BWSSB and BDA, along with ministers and legislators, were present.
He stated that all five municipalities have prepared their individual budgets, while MLAs have submitted their demands, including calls for ward-wise grants.
“We have decided to bring a new policy for footpaths. Citizens are struggling to walk as footpaths are encroached upon by street vendors,” Shivakumar said.
Highlighting the need to balance livelihoods and public convenience, he added that “a separate space will be provided for street vendors, and specific roads will be designated for their business,” ensuring that pedestrians can use footpaths without obstruction. He noted that there was unanimous agreement among MLAs on this approach.
Issuing a warning to vendors, Shivakumar said that authorities will act against those violating the rules. “If vendors operate during the day and leave their carts on the roadside at night, authorities will clear them. People should be aware of this,” he said.
Providing data on street vendors, he said that around 60,000 vendors have registered so far, of which 30,000 have applied for vehicles, and a tender has already been floated.
“Only those with street vendor identity cards will be allowed to do business. Those without ID cards will not be permitted to operate on the streets,” he added.
