Farm Loan Waiver, 35Kg Rice for Re 1 and Jobs: Key Promises in Rahul Gandhi's Chhattisgarh Manifesto

Keeping in mind the farm distress in Chhattisgarh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has promised immediate loan waiver along with ensuring minimum support price (MSP) for peasants in the party manifesto ahead of state elections.

The Congress, which toured the state’s 24 districts before coming up with the manifesto, has also promised better healthcare facilities and a safer environment for the state’s women.

Here’s a look at the five takeaways from the manifesto:

-- All loans of farmers will be immediately waived within 10 days of the formation of a Congress government in the state. The MSP will also be fixed as per the Swaminathan Commission report and provisions for the pension of farmers above 60 years of age will be put in place.

-- Addressing the acute poverty in the state, the manifesto promises 35 kilograms of rice at the cost of Re 1 every month.

-- Electricity bills will also be cut by half for domestic consumption, provisioning of houses and land to urban and rural families has been promised.

-- Taking the cause of 'Ghar Ghar Rozgaar, Har Ghar Rozgaar' further, the manifesto promised apprenticeship programmes and employment opportunities for the youth. Under the Rajiv Mitr Yojna, the Congress government will also provide monthly stipend to 10 lakh unemployed youth for financial support.

-- Under the Congress' Jan Ghoshna Patra, women safety has been given priority. Pertaining to this, there will be strict enforcement of laws, setting up of special women police stations and women help cells in every police station once the government is formed. Special conveyance for women for late-night commuting has also been promised.

Other promises include job opportunities and special help for ease of doing business for minority communities.

Introduction of Universal Healthcare Program will also be a priority under which free and quality health services will be provided. The manifesto also talks of provisioning air ambulances for areas such as Bastar, Sarguja, and Supebeda while several medical colleges may be converted to multi-speciality hospitals.

Released in Rajnandgaon, the Congress manifesto also promises to improve the quality of teachers.

A minimum respectable income for daily-wage labourers, increase in income bands of Class 3 and 4 employees, distribution of 7th pay commission surplus in three phases, increase in the pension being given to police families who lost loved ones in Naxal attacks, establishment of sports hostels and scholarships for economically weak sportspersons are among other commitments.