Assembly Elections 2005

HARYANA MANIFESTO

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

Haryana Assembly elections of February 2005 are going to prove a watershed in the history of the state. It is going to decide whether the state would lapse into total anarchy marked by complete break down of law and order, unmanageable crisis in agriculture, industry education, health, employment, social harmony and other vital fields of socio-economic life of this state or whether it would emerge as a resurgent state rapidly marching to the realm of peace, prosperity and social harmony.

More than 5 years rule of the Chautala clan in Haryana has done incalculable harm to Haryana society. The phenomenon of criminalisation of politics and politicization of crime in Haryana has assumed alarming proportions. Murder, kidnapping for ransom, dacoity, highway robbery, rape and such other heinous crimes are everyday occurrence in the state. The Chautala family to consolidate its hold over their own party and to bully has used crime as a tool; brow beat and terrorizes its opponents and dissidents. This has strengthened the nexus between criminals, police and politicians.

The second great dis-service rendered to the state by INLD government is the deadly blow dealt to democratic institutions of the state and society. The Haryana Assembly has held meetings for only 57 days in five years rule of the present govt. with an average of 11.18 days a year. It is a sad commentary that the legislature, a forum for debating the vital issues by the people's representatives has been rendered near defunct meeting only the constitutional requirement of the periodic sittings of the body. The village Panchayat, the basic grass root level institution of society, has been rendered powerless by floating a parallel body to oversee the development in a village. All democratic institutions from apex to the bottom have been systematically emasculated.

As per the findings of the National Election Study 2004 overwhelming citizens of the state agree that "Chautala's sons are looting the state" under the devilish guidance of their father. Haryana today has become a paradise for looters. It is alleged that every government post in the state carries a price tag, rendering recruiting agencies as sales agencies. Similarly, all other organs of the state involving quotas, contracts and purchases have been converted into money spinning industry.

Agriculture

The State of Haryana is in the grip of a multifaceted crisis. Haryana is primarily an agricultural state with about 70% of its population being dependent upon agriculture. The green revolution in Haryana has reached a dead end creating a serious crisis in agriculture.

The change in crop pattern is possible only if the marketing and remuneratively minimum support price is assured to the farmers. This cannot be left to the market forces, which are rarely farmer friendly. The Congress, if put into power, will evolve a comprehensive policy to meet this requirement.

The present government is not paying proper compensation for the land acquired from the farmers in the state. The compensation at the rate obtaining in Delhi state will be given in the areas falling in the National Capital Region by the Congress government.

Irrigation

The Congress Party is committed to maintain all existing irrigation channels at their design level and will strive for enhancing the capacity of distributaries and equitable and justifiable distribution of water to farmers. Besides enhancing the present irrigation resources, the Congress, if voted to power, will construct new canals.

Satluj-Yamuna Canal

The party is committed to bring Ravi-Beas waters to Haryana on priority basis by pleading the rights of the state before the Hon'ble Supreme Court and vigorously pursuing the matter with the Union Government.

Power

The Congress party will strengthen the working of Haryana Vidyut Prasar Nigam and also ensure minimum loss of energy during transmission. Effective steps will be taken to curb the T & D loss of electricity. The party will opt for gas based Mega Power plants in the state and also fine-tune the existing Thermal Power Plants. It will endeavor to adopt the farmer friendly approach and would give relief to weaker sections also. The party will constitute District level committees to redress the grievances regarding over billing, disconnection and other power related problems such as low voltage, burnt transformers, etc. Effective steps will be taken to supply, assured regular and quality power to all consumers.

The State government will have joint hydro projects with Himachal Pradesh to make the availability of quality power at reasonable rates to the consumer. Congress party assures the kisans and their leaders that the false cases registered against them would be withdrawn. Party also assures them that their pending power bills and other genuine demands for which Chautala has promised them relief but had been cheated, will be looked into and will be settled amicably.

Industry

Congress Party pledges to evolve rapid/ comprehensive policy for the growth of industries in the state. Regular power supply to the industrial units will be ensured. Red tapism will be curbed and a single window system would be introduced to deal with the entrepreneurs. Special schemes will be devised to set up big industrial units in public, private or joint sector to creation of jobs.

Trade and Commerce

Congress party will also ensure that all taxes on raw material and finished products will be at par with other states, which will give relief to trading community. The Congress party will ensure that harassment and extortion of the trading community in the name of VAT will immediately be stopped.

Direct Foreign Investment

Congress party will take all necessary steps to invite Direct Foreign Investment in a big way and create conducive and hassle free conditions for this purpose. The Congress party in the state would like to procure the maximum amount of Haryana.

Employment

More than 8 lakhs young people are registered in the employment exchange offices in the state. The Congress party is committed to provide employment to all the youth in the state. The Congress party would evolve a mechanism for marketing of the products of the small scale units. In order to give employment to the unemployed youth, the Haryana Congress government, on the pattern of UPA Government at the Centre, would guarantee jobs through legislation by making it legal right.

Social Welfare Justice

Congress party feels that old age pension is not a dole but a necessary for the old people. We will ensure that it reaches every pensioner regularly by the 7th of every month. Congress party will also take care of the senior citizens of the state by giving them at least basic need-based facilities like shelter, medicare, etc.

Gurudwara Act

The Congress party is aware of the growing demands of Sikh population of Haryana regarding creation of a separate Haryana Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandak Committee on the pattern of DSGPC to manage their religious affairs themselves. The party promises to take appropriate steps in the matter.

Education

The Congress Party, if put into power, would take effective steps to rejuvenate the education system in the state. The Congress party would seriously review the situation and take remedial steps to have quality education in the technical institutes.

Decentralisation of Power

Late Sh. Rajiv Gandhi has dreamed of decentralization of power through Panchayati Raj system for which he had brought a Congress party pledges to devolve all financial and administrative powers to Panchayats, Blocks and District level democratic institutions as per the provisions (including schedule) of 73rd and 74th amendments of the Constitution of India.

Overseas Employment Opportunities for Youth

The Congress Party, if voted to power would constitute a board for providing information of employment in foreign countries and help the youth in grant of visas, passports and render other necessary help for their placement in the foreign lands.

Health

The Congress Government's emphasis would be laid on preventing common maladies that afflict people in the absence of basic facilities like portable drinking water, hygienic surroundings and such other things. Congress government will start a postgraduate institute in northern Haryana on the pattern and scales of P.G.I. Chandigarh.

Sanitation

The Congress Party will have a comprehensive plan to provide sewerages, streetlights, pucca streets and other amenities in the villages to bring the level of sanitation at par with developed towns.

Scheduled Castes/ Backward Classes

Every effort would be made to make weaker section feel secure. Suitable steps will be taken to distribute surplus land vested, among the landless Scheduled Caste families and other weaker sections. Functional residential plots will be provided to the SC/BC and the weaker sections.

Sainik Welfare Board

The Government will make a Sainik Welfare Board more effective and autonomous to solve the problems of service men and ex-servicemen. The party is committed to provide suitable jobs to the wards of service men of Haryana, who die in harness. Personnel of paramilitary forces and police killed in anti-insurgency activities and fight against
anti-social elements would be treated at par with Kargil martyrs in matter of granting monetary benefits. Congress party govt. will setup a separate department to look after the ex-servicemen and will solve al their problems expeditiously.

Women Empowerment

The sex ratio in the state is among the lowest and foeticide is common. Congress party is committed to women empowerment and will work to remove gender discrimination in all fields. Special programmes for the protection of the girl child will be launched. It will also pay special attention to women education in the state.

Government employees

Effective steps will be taken to ensure at least two promotions or two promotional grades is provided to every government employees in Haryana. Thousands of government employees have been retrenched in the State. Congress government will review the circumstances under which they were retrenched and their legitimate grievances will be sympathetically looked into.

Fiscal Mis-management

The state economy has been mis-managed in many ways. The borrowing by the State Government has increased many folds during the last 5 years. The debt liability of the state was 7975 crore rupees in 1997 _ 1998, which has gone up to Rs. 23679 crores in 2004-05. The economy has shown decline in agricultural and industrial production. Effective steps will be taken for the proper fiscal management of the state economy.

Transparency and Accountability

The Congress party will take effective steps to make the functioning of the state administration transparent and accountable. Suitable legislation will be enacted to provide right to information about any developmental activity in the state to any citizen on payment of nominal fee on the pattern of such legislation introduced by Congress governments in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.

Development Council

The Congress Party if voted to power will constitute a Development Council comprising experts from different fields.

We are of the firm opinion that this Election Manifesto will put Haryana on the path of Peace, Prosperity and Social Harmony. This Manifesto is an important chapter of our Dedication and Resolve to fulfill our commitments. And we submit it to the people of Haryana for their mandate.