Assembly Elections 2005

BIHAR MANIFESTO

Following are the salient points in the election manifesto of the Congress Party for Bihar.

Main aim of the Congress is to defeat the conservative and fanatic forces which have neither contributed in the freedom struggle nor in the framing of the Constitution. Their sole purpose is to harm our heritage and our composite nationalism. The Congress and its allies are united in their commitment to defeat BJP whose intention is to rewrite history and destroy our future. We were successful in forming a comprehensive alliance in the last Lok Sabha poll. To repeat the success, we have formed such an alliance for this Assembly elections so that the Congress and its supporting parties get votes. The Congress's intention is "from politics to people-rule, village-meeting to Lok Sabha." Under this process, the Congress will present a strong alternative to bring back Bihar on the track of economic development, social progress. The Congress promises alround development of Bihar after eliminating the present violent situation and the criminalisation of politics. It is a known fact that Bihar is the most backward state of the country and it is full of social and economic challenges. It is not impossible to get rid of this problem provided there is a proper coordination between the human resources, vast natural wealth and experienced leadership. A strong political will, foresightedness, scientific thought and a strong law and order can take Bihar out of this sorry state of affairs. Assuming these ideals as an yardstick, the Bihar unit of the Congress, with its traditional values, will give a helping hand in the progress of Bihar and restore its pride as an alround developed state. Accepting the reality of coalition, we, with the following promises, present before you, that if the Congress-led coalition government comes to power, our basic principles will be to follow the rules of law.

1. Law System: A strong law and order system in the state.

2. Social Harmony: Maintain social harmony and unity after taking strong action against people who spread hatred and create discord.

3. Job for Youth: Promoting productivity and job security, jobs would be given to youth so that every family has a proper means of livelihood.

4. Rural Development: Improving the condition of rural farmers and farm-labourers after promoting programmes based on agriculture and wages.

5. Economic Uplift: Full utilization of skills of medium class entrepreneurs and professionals.

6. Women Empowerment: Making women self-reliant by giving them political rights and equal rights in education, economy and law.

7. Equal Opportunity: Make available equal opportunities to dalits, tribals, backward people and religions and language minorities.

Agriculture: The government will ensure that public investment is adequately raised as early as possible in agricultural research and development and rural based facilities and irrigation. Maximum priority will be given to investment in irrigation and all continuing projects will be completed in a fixed time.

Rural Corporative lending machinery will be made more effective. An immediate attention will be paid to water management so that water is available for irrigation and potable water projects. It will ensure full implementation of the minimum wage act.

Education, Health: The Government promises to raise the government spending on education to a minimum six percent of the GDP, in which at least half of the fund will be spent on primary and middle education.

Panchayat Raj: The government will ensure that there is no delay in sanctioning of funds given to the states for eradication of poverty and rural development through panchayats and the funds are not diverted for any other use.

Reservation to SC,ST, backward classes and minorities committees in Private Sector: The government is already very sensitive to providing reservation in private sector and its positive implementation. The government will immediately start the process in this regard with the political parties, industry, international and other organizations. The government will give guarantee for buying of saleable goods produced by Harijans.

Basic Infrastructure: The government will give topmost priority to development and expansion of physical basic structure like construction of roads, highways, electricity, railway, replenishment of water, disposal of human waste and cleanliness. Apart from increasing the role of private sector in the basic-infrastructure, the government investment will be encouraged. All the irrigation projects in the state will be completed in three to four years. Efforts will be made to complete the domestic electrification in five years.

Special Package for Bihar: Shri Rajiv Gandhi had announced a special package for development of Bihar in 1989. During its bifurcation in 1999, a second package was announced so that it can meet the loss of revenue. The Congress will make all possible efforts to arrange a special package for Bihar.

Bihar of Congress' Dream: There is no dearth of natural resources, human resources, skills and efficiency. For this, it needs the political will, which the Congress has.

1. Human and Social Development: The Congress party has identified nine points for human development and we will emphasise it.

2. Job-oriented Vocational Education, Skill Development: Continuous progress in agriculture will generate new job opportunities. New job opportunities will be generated through horticulture, dairy, aforestation, agro-processing and aqua culture. Needful investment, loan and technical facilities will be made available.

The Congress will bring changes in the working of the Khadi and Gramudyog Commision.

Farmers and Farm-labourers: The money available as agricultural loan will be doubled in the next three years and the facility of providing organizational loan to small and medium farmers will be further expanded comprehensively. Immediate steps will be taken to reduce the high rate of interest on the farming loans.

A special project will be launched to introduce a special technology for farming on the arid land. The farmers in the state will get proper and reasonable price of their farm produce and the government organizations will pay special attention to buying and selling of farm produce of the farmers belonging to backward and poor states and districts.

A comprehensive security act will be introduced for the security of agricultural workers.

3. Social Machinery: The percentage of the people living below the poverty line in Bihar is maximum in the country. The farmers of Bihar have shown great interest in raising the foodgrain production and the foodgrain output was more than the state requires. But still the poor people of Bihar do not get the food security. We will strengthen it through the medium of panchayat raj and the Public Distribution System. There is a heavy loss of foodgrain due to floods in 20 districts of northern Bihar. Arrangements will be made for its storage.

4. Special Classses: Socially, the Congress is fully aware of the problem of the benefited class, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, backward classes, minority communities and other special classes. Women of this society are more neglected. They will be given reservation in governmental and non-governmental organizations.

5. Agriculture and Rural Development: After creation of Jharkhand, the economic condition of Bihar is primarily based on agriculture. No other state in the country has the fertile land and availability of water in abundance like in Bihar. But our agricultural produce, except vegetables, is very low compared to the agriculture produce of Punjab, Haryana and West Bengal. In the next five years our efforts will be to make Bihar join the states leading in agricultural produce.

6. Town Development: Of the total population of the state, 10.5% is the town population. Keeping this in mind, we have to provide facilities to the town population.

7. Industries and Serving Sector Industries: After bifurcation of the state in 2000, out of 30 industries, only three industries _ the Barauni Oil Refinery, the Indian Tobacco Co., Munger and the Rail Coach Factory at Jamalpur _ are left with Bihar. The remaining 27 industries went to Jharkhand.

However, the state is so rich in natural resources as well as in human resources. The Congress pledges to take the following steps for development of industry in the state:

1. Agriculture-based industries will be promoted.

2. Agriculture-industries will be encouraged.

3. Knowledge-based industries, including IT, will be established.

4. Tourism-industries will be promoted.

5. Minerals, whatever the share state has got, will be fully-exploited.

6. Science-based educational centres will be established for the development of human resources.

Irrigation: According to official data, in the state of Bihar, it is claimed that about 40 percent of cultivable land is irrigated but the truth is that instead of increasing the area it is gradually decreasing. Therefore, keeping in mind the recommendations of the Bihar State Irrigation Commission (1992), we will take above-mentioned steps.

Problems by Flood: Eight hundred people have lost their lives in the floods of 2004 in northern Bihar and the property worth several crore rupees was destroyed. The Congress feels that in addition to the flood control measures we have to frame a new policy, which will be called `Flood Proofing". Our priority will be to protect areas from floods.

Electricity: The generation capacity of electricity should be at least 8000 MW in Bihar but the present generation capacity is only 1550 MW and actual generation is only 300 MW. The Congress understands this situation. The Congress will pay attention to increasing the generation of electricity.

Transport and Road Development: Bihar is fortunate that four National Highways pass through the State. The number of state roads (PWD roads) is 67 but the fact is that 62 percent of the villages in the state are not linked with the roads.

Central agencies will be assisted in implementing the Prime Minister Rural Road Project. Haldia-Farakka-Bhagalpur-Munger-Patna-Allahabad water-transport will be executed. A project for widening the state PWD roads will be launched. City aviation will be expanded to other major towns of the state.

Science and Technology:

Our efforts will continue to realize the dream of Pt. Nehru to make our country scientific India:

1. The state of Bihar will be developed into a major region of scientific education and teaching.

2. I.I.T. and I.I.M will be established.

3. Branches of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Indian Council for Agricultural Research will be established.

4. Stress will be put on teaching basic science in universities.

5. Brilliant students will be sent to world-class science-laboratories and research centers.

6. A top class education centre will be opened in Bihar in the field of Information Technology.

Main problems and our hypotheses

Any state or country having special problem can redress them at local level. There are such major problems in Bihar which we need immediate action. For example:

MEGHALAYA BY-POLL CANDIDATES

The Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi has selected the following candidates for the ensuing bye-elections to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Shri Ramesh Chennithala, Member CWC, said in a press release on 27th January. (Constituency No., Constituency Name and Candidate are in that order.) 21 � Mawprem, Shri Dambar B. Gurung; 43 � Songsak (ST), Shri Tonsing N. Marak; 50 � Selsella (ST), Shri Clement R. Marak.

To root out the menace of violence in extremist-hit areas; to solve the Bihar-U.P land dispute on the border; to ensure the timely payment of salaries to the employees; to promote top class and comprehensive education in the interest of students and teachers; to solve the problem of so-called Maoist violence on the India-Nepal border; to form a strategy for women empowerment through self-employment; to solve the problems of old-age pension, social security, unbearable life conditions of women and widows; to redress the problems of people living on the banks of Diara and Koshi; to encourage youth in constructive work; to champion the cause of workers of the unorganized sector; to reopen closed sugar-mills and solve the problems of the weavers; to formulate a comprehensive plan for the flood-affected people; to root out corruption from public life; to bring transparency and accountability in the execution of development work; to press for micro level planning from the village to the state level and a mega centre will be established for Information Technology and Bio-technology; to protect and ensure proper use of public land and properties; to target the rate of development to the national level; to implement land ceiling act and the Chakbandi (land consolidation) under the Land Reformation Scheme; to promote tourism and agriculture-based industries; to do solid work in the field of education to restore the past pride of Nalanda and Vikramshila Educational institutions; to free Bihar from the menace of criminals and to restore peaceful life after improving law and order situation; to help scholars and experts in different fields for alround development of Bihar and constitute a Task Force for the concerned departments; to develop and strengthen the Women Commission, the Minorities Commission, the Human Rights Commission; the SC/ST Commission, Commission for sweepers, the OBC Finance and Development Corporation, the Minorities Finance and Development Corporation and the SC/ST Finance and Development Corporation.