Nyay Patra, The Manifesto: Congress promises caste census, to raise 50 pc cap on quotas

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Nationwide socio-economic and caste census
• Constitutional amendment to raise 50% cap on reservations for SC, ST and OBC communities
• 10% quota in jobs, educational institutions for EWS will be implemented for all castes, communities
• ‘Right to Apprentice- ship Act’ to provide one-year apprenticeship to every diploma holder or graduate below age of 25
• Legal guarantee to Minimum Support Prices
• Scrapping the the Agnipath Scheme
• Rajasthan model of cashless insurance of up to Rs 25 lakh for universal healthcare
• National minimum wage will be Rs 400 per day
• Mahalakshmi scheme to provide Rs 1 lakh per year to every poor Indian family
• Filling of 30 lakh vacancies at various levels in the Central government

New Delhi: Right to apprenticeship, a legal guarantee for MSP, passing a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs, a nation-wide caste census and scrapping of Agnipath scheme are among the promises made by the Congress in its Lok Sabha polls manifesto released on Friday.

The manifesto, focusing on five "pillars of justice" and 25 guarantees under them, was released at the AICC headquarters in the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

In the 45-page document titled 'Nyay Patra', featuring pictures of Kharge and Rahul and Bharat Jodo Yatras, the opposition party said it would implement 10 per cent quota in jobs, educational institutions for economically weaker sections (EWS) for all castes, communities without discrimination if it comes to power.

The party also promised full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, besides giving special status to Andhra Pradesh, full statehood to Puducherry, and to amend the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, to declare that Lt Governor shall act on the aid and advice of Council of Ministers of NCT, Delhi.

It also promised to fill nearly 30 lakh vacancies in sanctioned posts at various levels in the central government and said the Rajasthan model of cashless insurance of up to Rs 25 lakh will be adopted for ensuring universal healthcare across the country.

The Congress will pass a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SC, ST and OBC if it comes to power in the general elections beginning April 19, the party promised.

The party also said it will conduct a nationwide socio-economic and caste census ensuring equitable distribution among all sections as per their population. It said it will review all laws that interfere with the right to privacy and make suitable amendments to various laws to uphold the right to privacy.

Rejecting the ‘one nation, one election’ idea, the Congress promised that elections to the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies be held as and when they are due in accordance with the Constitution and the traditions of a parliamentary democracy.

It also promised to restore the voters’ trust in the election process by amending election laws and ensure that VVPAT slips are tallied with EVMs.

The Congress said it will review the new education policy brought by NDA. It also promised to enact a law on bail that will incorporate the principle that ‘bail is the rule, jail is the exception’ in all criminal laws. It further promised to introduce comprehensive prison reforms.

“The 2024 general election presents an opportunity for radically changing the style and substance of governance that has been in evidence in the past decade of Anyay Kaal.

We appeal to you to look beyond religion, language and caste, choose wisely, and install a democratic government that will work for all the people of India,” the Congress said in its manifesto while appealing to people to vote for it. It said it guarantees a new ‘right to apprenticeship act’ to provide one-year apprenticeship to every diploma holder or graduate below age of 25, under which apprentices will get Rs one lakh a year.