MANIFESTO

Gujarat Assembly Elections, 2002

Congress Promises Peace, Prosperity & Security

AHMEDABAD : Peace, prosperity, happiness, security and a riot-free Gujarat are the promises announced for the people of Gujarat in the manifesto of the Congress Party which was released here on 28 November. The announcement was made by the AICC general secretary, Shri Kamal Nath, who is also incharge of the Gujarat affairs in the presence of the state PCC president, Shri Shankarsinh Waghela, former PCC president, Shri Amarsinh Chaudhary and other Congress leaders. The Gujarat elections will be held on 12 December for the Assembly.

Shri Kamal Nath said the Congress will institute an inquiry commission and a special court to probe the cooperative bank scams, corruption in the removal of earthquake debris, corruption in the water supply, irrigation and other departments if the Congress is voted to power.

He said the state has suffered from a slow pace of development and that the Congress will chart out the true and fast route of development in the state. The Congress will implement its election manifesto in its true spirit, if it comes back to power in Gujarat.

Shri Kamal Nath appealed to the people to recognise the true face of the BJP and cautioned against its misleading policies. "The Congress is the only party whose roots are traditional and believes in the true spirit of brotherhood," he said. "It is now upto the people to decide whether they want development or retrogression, peace or disturbance and violence or non-violence," he added.

Following are the salient features of the manifesto :

I- Good Governance :

1. The Congress party would establish the rule of law in every sphere. It will introduce the process of Police reforms in the state in a time-bound manner to make the administration efficient, it will provide security to citizens and restore faith among the ordinary citizens of all religions and faith in the government. It would also provide a good governance and corruption-free administration. A law will be enacted by the Congress government to prevent the man made disasters like communal riots. A white paper on Godhra episode and the role played by BJP government will be prepared by the Congress party. In order to stop the misuse of the law enforcing machinery and to ensure the protection to the constitutional and human rights, the Congress would establish a State Human Rights Commission. The Congress Party will launch a number of programs benefiting the dalits, tribals, OBCs, women and minorities. It would arrest the price-rise of essential commodities and if prices go out of control the Congress Government would provide essential commodities at subsidized rates. This would include food grains, sugar, kerosene and other essentials of daily need.

II- Agriculture :

A new Agricultural Policy for the state will be drafted that will be farmer-oriented, labour-oriented as well as employment oriented. All agricultural produce will be freed from any Government control. The party would allow the export of groundnut and groundnut oil products from the state. The agriculture sector would receive top priority so as to encourage and promote exports of agriculture products. The government would set up agriculture zones for Mango, Onions, Jeera, Castor, Isabgool and other agricultural products. It would provide remunerative prices to the farmers for their agricultural produce.

III- Farmers :

Law of Electricity Regulatory Commission is unwanted as well as anti-farmer. Therefore, Congress government in State would make strong representations at the Centre with the help of other state governments and fight till the end to remove the same. It will provide electricity to farmers for at least 12 hours in a day (presently the farmers in the state get power for only 4 hours) and longer hours during the daytime. The debts of farmers taken for crop loans, oils engine, bullock cart and buffaloes, etc. would be waived up to the limit up to the limit of Rs. 25,000. For small and marginal farmers, a loan amount up to Rs. 25,000 with a subsidy component up to 50% will be made available for them to deepen their existing wells and for installing oil engine. It would intensify water conservation programs in order to ease the shortage of drinking as well as increase availability of water for irrigation.

IV- Industry :

The Congress government would establish peace through "A Riot-free Gujarat" slogan, and would also provide incentives to the industries, to attract investment in medium and major industries. It would see to it that the industry remains competitive. A revival package or fund will be set up for the revival of closed industrial units in the state. The Government will encourage Khadi and Cottage Industries as an effective sector for widening employment base and allocate liberal funds for their growth in each Taluka. A special attention will be paid to the Handloom sector and its promotion. For the promotion of industrial growth in and around Surat, an Airport facility will be provided for Surat city. A new industrial policy for five years 2003-2008 will be introduced by the state government so as to encourage faster industrial growth in the state.

V- Injustice to State on Gas :

Gujarat Electricity Board has two gas-fired power stations at Duvaran and Uttran in the state, which runs on gas. Similarly, Gujarat Industrial Power, which is a public enterprise, (GEB is also a partner in it) has two gas-based power stations. Similarly, centrally owned NTPC has power stations of the capacity of 1250 MW in the state. Gujarat gets its share of 415 MW power from all the above power stations, whereas it should be getting 1975 MW of power. Congress would make intensive efforts in ensuring the promised gas to these power units.

VI- Drinking Water :

Safe and secure drinking water is the need of the day in the state. In Saurashtra, North Gujarat and even in South shortage of drinking water has led to water riots and killings. Arrangement would be made for water to be provided through tankers in the villages of Saurashtra and Kutch. The Government will dig a Tube well for the purpose of drinking water in every Panchayat area. Congress will allocate specific amount of budget for providing the drinking water to people.

VII- Power :

The Congress party promises to provide electricity to each and every tribal houses and interior areas, within its 5 year’s tenure. Power Generation is the key for starting various developmental activities. During the five-year rule of Congress from 1990-95, the GEB provided satisfactorily service in all spheres. The state is lagging behind in generation of electricity. Though in 1998 BJP manifesto promised to generate 10,000 mega watts of new electricity, it has not generated a single mega watt so far. The state has a gap of 2500 mega watts in it’s demand and supply position. The Congress would take rapid steps in generating by commissioning new plants for electricity besides the Congress promises to make Gujarat a self-sufficient state in electricity. The Congress would also freeze duty on power and abolish sales tax on power.

VIII- Narmada and Other Irrigation Projects :

The Supreme Court of India gave its decision on 17th October, 2000 and at that time the state government promised to people of Gujarat that it would complete all construction work of the dam within two years. The Congress government promises to strive for completion of the Narmada dam within it’s tenure span of 5 years and would take water to Kutch and Saurashtra regions for drinking, and for irrigation in North Gujarat. In order to provide irrigation facilities to drought prone areas of Banaskantha and Sabarkantha, a high-bank canal would be created from the Kadana Dam.

IX- Employment :

The Congress government would give per month Rs. 900/- as pension to Widow and if they have children, then additional Rs. 80/- for each child and that would go to a maximum up to Rs. 1050/- as monthly pension. The Congress government would also give a lumpsum allowance to each unemployed youth. A special scheme for the workers of closed textile mills, would be introduced. When elected to rule, the Congress government would enact and Implement an Employment guarantee Act (EGA) to provide work to unemployed youths in the rural areas. It would fulfil the backlog of thousands of jobs for the SC and ST in the government, which is lying vacant due to indifferent attitude of the state government.

X- Infrastructure :

For the industrial and agricultural growth and to provide employment, the Congress would emphasize infrastructure development and would achieve the first rank among all the states in infrastructure development index.

XI- Minorities and Ethnic Groups :

Chief Minister himself will handle the work of development of Minorities. Muslim Trusts will be given the management of cemetery lands. A social survey of minority communities will be carried out on Karnataka pattern and appropriate programs will be designed drawing on survey findings. Grants and financial assistance will be given to primary and middle schools. Clusters of polytechnic, technical and diploma course and ITI will be given on a priority basis. Speedy action and trial will be carried out against the persons responsible for atrocities and violation against the protection, respect and rights of minority community members. A special Commission would be constituted for problems resolution processes and development of the minorities in the state.

XII- Rural Development :

Approach road for all villages by 2007. A Panchayat Ghar will be constructed in every village. Subsidized plots of 100 square metres would be given to all homeless families to construct their own houses. Indira Awaas Yojana to be augmented, extended to new beneficiaries an also a bankable loan of Rs. 10,000/- to existing beneficiaries for repairing the built houses. 60% of the Development budget to be spent on rural development.

XIII- Mid-Day Meal for Children :

The Congress would enhance and strengthen Mid-day-meal scheme and would provide meal for 200 days to the children and Rs. 1000/- salary to the person looking after the scheme.

XIV- Education :

Construction of 46,000 new classrooms with particular emphasis on rural and remote areas for Primary Education. Primary education would be linked to computer education. Congress would launch a progressive scheme to make education to girls intensive and successful. Girl-students would be provided free education up to the college level. Free provision of Textbooks and notebooks to students of backward classes and EBC from class one to class seven. The government would make necessary steps for opening a new university in the state under the UGC permission.

XV- Health :

Primary healthcare facility to all village having a population of 2000 people or more. Modern equipments and machines would be made available to the government hospitals in the state so as to put an end to exploitation by private practitioners. Immediate recruitment of Doctors, Nurses for the health centers in rural areas. Fully equipped mobile medical vans with qualified doctor, medicines and equipments would be made operational in all the Talukas of the state.

XVI- Social Welfare Programs :

It would provide pension of Rs. 900/- to the destitute widows in the state. Distribution of 20 kilograms of subsidized food grains at 50% of the market rate to people living below poverty line. The unemployed youth will get an unemployment allowance fixed by the government.

XVII- Labour Welfare :

The unorganized labourers including forest labourers, minor-forest-produce-gatherers, agricultural labourers, casual mine-workers, salt-pan workers, construction labourers, and self-employed labourers will be covered under a social security scheme and in the event of death of the main earner, the state would provide Rs. 30,000/- over and above the claims due with the insurance company. Agricultural labourers’ yearly wage income to be raised to Rs. 24,000 per year. Minimum support prices for Tendu (Timru) leaf collection. New Salt Act to be enacted for social security and welfare of salt-pan workers. Congress will raise a state security force and would provide jobs to five lakh youth in five years. The state government will constitute the casual mine workers’s welfare board and also provide insurance coverage of Rs. 50 thousand to all Mineworkers. The Congress will take special measures to ensure minimum wages for workers. The Congress will launch Group Insurance schemes for Ratan Kalakars.

XVIII- Tribals :

Immediate issuance of land ownership titles to all forest-land cultivators cultivating prior to 1980 and providing subsidies for water and land development in tribal areas. Supply of drinking water to every tribal village of eastern belt. Free street lighting will be provided in tribal areas. Electricity connection to every tribal household. A reservation act would be passed to timely fill the vacancies in the government meant for SC/STs this act would also be applicable to all.

XIX- Dalits :

The Congress promises to remove the inhuman practices of carrying night soil on the head and will try to replace this practice. Special effort would be made to improve the conditions of the people of the Valmiki Samaj. The Congress government will implement Land Improvement Programs vigorously and would also distribute surplus public lands among the Dalits. An Insurance protection will be provided for sanitation and sewage workers.

XX- Women’s Development :

A comprehensive policy for women development will be announced. A state Commission for women would be constituted and stringent measures for preventing atrocities and crime against women and new law would be enacted for the same. A woman Police post will be set up at every Taluka place. The number of women squads will be enhanced. Strict implementation of anti dowry law and taking steps for preventing dowry deaths. There will be a joint ownership by women and men on the properties/assets created with government assistance. Framing of statutory provision for reservation of 33% seats for women in the state assembly. 30% reservation in Panchayat jobs for women. 25% job reservation for women in services of government, public boards, corporations and co-operative banks. The Congress will encourage and provide technical assistance to local women’s groups for taking up nurseries, plantation, watershed and constructing houses’ work. The Congress will make efforts for providing training to Artisan women for more skills and also provide facility for marketing their goods.

XXI- Baxi Panch :

A board will be constituted for the development and welfare of Vishwakarma community. More number of exclusive hostels for students from Baxi Panch communities. Programs and schemes would be designed for the comprehensive development of Baxi Panch communities.

XXII- Urban Development :

Two corporations will be set up for cities with a population of more than 20 lakhs in order to provide adequate basic services and the developmental and modernization of new towns within the radius of 5-7 miles of the original city/ town. An international Airport for Surat and a Domestic Airport for Rajkot. Development of the Ports at Kandla, Pipavav and others in Saurashtra and Kutch on the basis of privatization. The work of Ahmedabad-Mumbai Express Highway will be completed in a time bound manner. Gandhinagar will be connected to Mumbai and Delhi by railway.

XXIII- Urban Poor :

New bill to be introduced for providing basic facilities in slums in urban areas. Construction of one room plus toilet tenements on large scale for urban poor. All urban slums would be surveyed and those in certain years of existence would be regularized. Special employment packages designed for the urban poor. Workers of closed textile mills to be given loan and subsidy for alternative employment from special funds.

XXIV- Cooperation :

A regulatory mechanism will be put in place for maintaining the smooth functioning and transparency in activities being run on cooperative basis. Stringent measures will be taken to protect the interests of investors and weed out the corruption in cooperative banks. Fundamental change would be made in the cooperative law in order to remove the management shortcomings of cooperative banks. The possibility of conducting elections at one go and the removal of rotation system for the election of directors by investors as shareholders of the bank would be looked into and appropriate amendments would be made. The Congress will expose all possibilities for increasing interest rate in cooperative banks.

XXV- Disaster Management :

A Disaster mitigation force would be created to meet any emergency requirement like cyclone, foods and other types of natural and man-made disasters. An early warning system would be set up for immediate measures in the event of natural disasters. The Congress will appoint a task force for detecting the corruption in supply of earthquake relief material and take stringent measures to punish the culprit involved in corruption.

XXVI- General :

Equal development opportunities for all communities and religious groups in state’s development. Employment would be provided to one person of the family whose land is to be acquired for small/big projects or for any other public purpose. Free bus pass in the state Transport buses for the students from BPL families, tribals, dalits and OBC (Baxi Panch) communities. A PTC college would be started at Vaghai. An Engineering college would be started at Saputara. An honorarium would be paid to the Sarpanches of village panchayats. For promotion of small employment opportunities construction of pucca cabins (kiosks) will be done through Panchayats. A group insurance scheme for the workers in diamond polishing trade would be launched. Abolishment of child labour through implementation of various programs. Exemption of sales tax on domestic electricity consumption. People affected by the construction of large irrigation projects in the state will be rehabilitated within 5 years. Resurvey of entire earthquake affected areas’ houses for providing proper compensation and rehabilitation would be done. A national foundation in the memory of Sardar Patel will be set up.