The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar on Monday launched his party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections, emphasising its support for a caste-based census, a matter its ally BJP has been side-stepping. Speaking at an event, the Deputy Chief Minister also announced the NCP's support for conferring the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, upon the late former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Defense Minister Yashvantrao Chavan.
"Our party believes in the right to live as a human irrespective of caste, creed and religion. It believes in equality and unity. The NCP has faith in social reformer Sane Guruji's quote, The true religion is to offer love to the world. We must bring the deprived and backward sections of society into the mainstream. We will demand for a caste-based census," the manifesto stated.
Key highlights of NCP's manifesto:
- A nationwide caste-based census
- Getting semi-English status to Urdu medium schools in the state
- A minimum support price for farm produce
- 50 crore public beneficiaries under the Jan Dhan Yojana
- Distribution of free ration to 80 crore citizens. This scheme to continue for the next five years
- Pucca houses for 4 crore citizens
- 25 crore citizens will be brought above the poverty line
- More than 46 crore people will get the benefit of Mudra Yojana worth more than Rs 27 lakh crore
- Constitutional status to National Backward Classes Commission
- Provision of loans to more than 63 lakh hawkers under the Pradhan Mantri Swanidhi Yojana for hawkers.
- Free electricity through PM Surya Ghar Yojana
- Maharashtra to be made a hub of skill development
Voter turnout in first phase in Maharashtra
An approximate voter turnout of 61.06 per cent was recorded in Lok Sabha polls held on Friday (April 19) in Nagpur, Ramtek, Bhandara-Gondiya, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli-Chimur in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region. The lowest voting was recorded in Nagpur at 54.46 per cent, while it was 69.43 per cent in Gadchiroli-Chimur, 64.08 in Bhandara-Gondiya, 60.35 per cent in Chandrapur and 59.58 per cent in Ramtek.
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