New Delhi. Congress announced seven guarantees for the Haryana assembly elections, which include legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for farmers, conducting caste-based survey, restoring old pension scheme (OPS) and providing gas cylinder worth Rs 500 and 300 units of free electricity. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge announced these guarantees in the presence of senior leaders of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee.
Congress organization general secretary KC Venugopal, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupendra Singh Hooda, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, senior leader Ajay Maken, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee President Uday Bhan and many other leaders were present on this occasion. Congress announced seven ‘guarantees’ in the form of ‘prosperity for families (prosperity to every family)’, ‘women empowerment’, ‘safe future of youth’, ‘strengthening social security’, ‘rights for backward classes’, ‘prosperity for farmers’ and ‘housing for the poor’.
Under the ‘Prosperity for Families’ scheme, the party promised that if it forms a government in Haryana, every family will get free electricity up to 300 units and free medical treatment up to Rs 25 lakh will be provided. Under the ‘Women Empowerment’ guarantee, the Congress promised to give Rs 2,000 per month to women between the ages of 18 and 60 and a gas cylinder for Rs 500 to every family.
The main opposition party promised to provide two lakh permanent government jobs and make the state drug-free under the ‘Secure Future of Youth’ guarantee. Under the ‘Strengthening Social Security’ guarantee, the Congress said that if it forms the government, the elderly, disabled and widows will be given a pension of six thousand rupees per month. It also promised to restore the old pension scheme.
Under the ‘Rights for Backward Classes’ guarantee, the Congress promised to conduct caste-based survey and increase the OBC creamy layer limit to Rs 10 lakh. It promised to ensure legal guarantee of MSP and immediate compensation in case of crop loss under the ‘Prosperity for Farmers’ guarantee. Under the ‘Housing for the Poor’ guarantee, the Congress promised that poor families will be provided with a plot of 100 yards and a two-room house costing Rs 3.5 lakh. Referring to these seven guarantees, Kharge said that the public is ready for change and these promises will be fulfilled if the government is formed. He alleged that the BJP’s ‘double engine’ government ruined Haryana in the last 10 years.
In response to a question, Kharge said, “In the Congress party, after the elections, the MLAs who get elected always decide who is to be made the Chief Minister. We already have this system.” The Congress President said, “We will build a memorial in Haryana in memory of the farmers martyred in the farmers’ movement and will also give jobs to their children.” Voting for Haryana’s 90 assembly seats will be held in one phase on October 5 and the counting of votes will be done on October 8.