The Indian National Congress on Wednesday released its manifesto for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, promising a new law on hate crimes to provide enhanced punishment for those creating tension on the basis of caste and religion besides offering 50 per cent reservation to women in Panchayat elections.
The document focuses on women and farmers while offering opportunities to OBCs and minorities.
Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Raj Babbar said while releasing the manifesto that the government would distribute bicycles to girl students when the party comes to power.
Babbar said the party was committed to safety and honour of women and on being voted to power it would open three women police stations in every district.
The 12-page manifesto condemned BJP's "anti-poor and anti-people policies", saying, "Divisive forces run rampant with impunity across the country...To combat these forces our two great parties (SP-Cong) have allied."
The Congress also described its coming together with Samajwadi Party as "an important moment" in the history of country's politics.
The Congress is contesting in 105 constituencies while the SP led by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is contesting in 298.
Noting that BJP's "agenda of hatred and divisiveness becomes clearer with every election", the manifesto pledged to enact a new law on hate crimes to provide enhanced punishment to those who create tension on basis of caste, gender and religion.
The party vowed to appoint a police ombudsman to handle cases of police oppression and set up a Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to ensure compensation to victims of criminal oppression.
For safety of women, it said the law passed by erstwhile UPA government would be implemented effectively against anyone guilty of atrocities and crimes against women.
It promised to launch Kanya Sanshaktikaran Yojana to ensure Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh for every girl child when she turns 18, besides scholarships to women pursuing higher studies.
The party also vowed to give 50 per cent reservation to women in panchayat elections.
The manifesto promised to ensure special protection for the most backward and oppressed groups among Dalits to help them get better access to jobs and education.
"We shall appoint a Diversity Commission and a Vikas Mitra in every block to ensure delivery of all schemes," it said.
The party vowed to provide free legal aid to all members of the SC, ST, OBC communities and appoint Suraksha Mitra to assist in filing of cases committed against Dalits.
Additional grants for marriage of girls belonging to these communities and provision of special financial assistance to them to start their own business besides medical and housing facilities have also been promised in the document.
The manifesto also listed its thrust areas to boost infrastructure and promised to ensure food security by providing wheat and rice at Rs 3 and Rs 2 a kg, giving nutritious meal in Mid Day Meal scheme and revamping Public Distribution System.
Matching BJP's loan waiver promise to farmers, it said "Qarza maaf, bijli half" and pledged to ensure adequate return to farmers and make the mandi system more farmer friendly.
Setting up of state-of-the-art warehouses, cold storages, agro-processing industries, as also launching of crop and livestock insurance have been promised by Congress.
A New Industrial Policy with emphasis on MSME will also be formulated.
It promised to provide free school education for every girl child and give free bicycles to girl students from Class IX to XII.
Skill development centres will be opened and additional job avenues created for young men and women in the state. "We will work to ensure that at least 50 lakh young men and women are placed in jobs within the next five years," the document added.
The manifesto was released in the presence of senior party leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, P.L. Punia and former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
Uttar Pradesh goes to polls in seven phases, starting February 11.
