MVA’s Chhatrapati-inspired poll Manifesto promises jobs, freebies & more

Mumbai: Inspired by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and with a commitment to the Constitution, the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge cast a wide net on Sunday to lure voters with a string of allurements covering all sections of society in the party’s Manifesto.

Unveiling the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s comprehensive proclamation, ‘Maharashtranama’ for the November 20 state Assembly polls, Kharge urged the masses to support the MVA-INDIA bloc alliance of Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (SP)-Shiv Sena (SP), plus other partners.

Taking a leaf from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s people-centric vision, the Manifesto promises to adhere to good governance with five core pillars: agriculture & rural development, industry & employment, urban & city development, plus environment & public welfare.

As per the ‘Maharashtranama’, the MVA proposes to implement in the first 100 days if voted to power include a series of initiatives for women, farmers, youth, education, health, industry & business, social justice, public welfare, urban development, good governance, implement 17 Sustainable Development Goals, et al.

Hoping to pierce the current MahaYuti regime’s much-touted Rs 1,500/month dole to poor women under the ‘Ladki Bahin Scheme’, the MVA has promised assistance of Rs 3,000/month under the Mahalaxmi Scheme.

For the tillers, the Maharashtranama has promised a farm loan waiver of up to Rs three lakh plus a Rs 50,000 incentive for those who clear their loans on time.

Educated jobless youth would get a Rs 4,000/month allowance and open up recruitments for 250,000 vacancies in the state government, plus create 2.50 lakh new jobs every year for the next five years (total 1.25 million), set up a ‘Maharashtra Youth Employment Mission’, provide jobs to rural youngsters or financial assistance to those going entrepreneurial.

Families would be entitled to six cooking gas cylinders in a year at a subsidized rate of Rs 500, and 100 units of free electricity to those using up to 300 Units/month, in order to reduce the burden of the spiralling inflation on domestic budgets under the present government, said Kharge.

Women shall travel free on state transport buses, frame a ‘Nirbhay Maharashtra’ policy and implement the ‘Shakti Laws’ for the security of women and children, two days’ menstrual leave, Rs. One Lakh to each girl upon attaining age of 18, free cervical cancer vaccines to girls between 9-16 years old.

Besides the debt write-offs, the government would review and enhance schemes for the survivors of lakhs of farmers who have committed suicide in the past few decades, ensure MSP of agro-produce, simplify the crop insurance schemes, launch ‘pink’ and ‘saffron’ agriculture revolutions for the benefit of the onion and tomato growers, build permanent roads linking farmlands, among others.

On the ‘healthy Maharashtra’ front, the MVA has promised to increase the scope of the Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, implement a ‘Right To Health’ Policy, form a Tribal Health & Nutrition Mission, improve and augment healthcare facilities and infrastructure in mofussil or remote areas, build a 100-bed hospital in each taluka, hiking the health insurance cover to Rs 25-lakhs, et al.

Kharge slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ‘continuously lying’ to the nation, making tall and baseless claims, and a string of records of unfulfilled promises/assurances while the Congress in each state has honoured its word and implemented various guarantees.

Referring to PM’s reference that the BJP made a tribal woman Droupadi Murmu as the President, Kharge, who is the Congress’ Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, asked whether it was because of her caste or merits, and accused Modi of dividing people on caste lines with such utterances to seek votes.

Flanked by NCP (SP) Working President Supriya Sule, Shiv Sena (UBT) Sanjay Raut and other top MVA leaders, Kharge reeled off several names to emphasise how the party had always given big opportunities and top posts to tribals, Dalits, OBCs, minorities, etc without resorting to big claims.

The ‘Maharashtranama’ has other things on offer for urban, and semi-urban regions, protecting the environment by raising the green cover from 17 per cent to 25 per cent, urban policies to develop ‘Happy Cities’ and many more.

Maharashtra is slated to vote in the crucial Assembly polls on November 20, with all the parties in the fray making all-out efforts to woo the electorate with all kinds of sops.