Manmohan Singh releases Congress’s Punjab manifesto, says note ban a poll issue

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi,Jan 09, 2017: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh released the Congress party’s manifesto for the February 4 assembly elections in Punjab on Monday.

He said the government’s decision to scrap high-value banknotes, which resulted in a nationwide cash crunch, will be an election issue in all five states, including Punjab, where voting is due early this year.

In a major boost to the party ahead of the polls, the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM), an organisation of retired military personnel agitating over the implementation of one rank-one pension (OROP), last week pledged its support to the Congress in Punjab and other poll-bound states.

With the release of its manifesto, the Congress is all set to hit the top gear in the state which is witnessing a three-cornered contest this time. The Congress is pitted against the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP combine and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is fighting the Punjab assembly polls for the first time. The SAD-BJP alliance has been in power in the state for the past 10 years.

The Congress is set to get another shot in the arm on Tuesday when cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu is likely to join the party. The former BJP MP is expected to contest the coming elections from the Amritsar East seat which was till recently held by his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu.

The five main poll promises made by the party are:

* Zero-tolerance policy for drug smugglers, peddlers, police officials, politicians, bureaucrats or public indulging in narcotics trafficking. The party has also vowed to confiscate properties of drug dealers within 30 days of assuming power and close 5% liquor shops every year.

* Loan waiver to farmers, increase in crop compensation and crop insurance --- apart from raising ex-gratia to Rs 10 lakh to families of debt-ridden farmers who committed suicide.

* One lakh taxis and other commercial vehicles per year to be provided to unemployed youth at subsidised rates besides a job to every household.

* End the VIP culture by abolishing red beacon lights except on emergency vehicles, 90% cut in security personnel for politicians and officials and a two-year ban on foreign travel except where mandatory.

* A free house or 5 marla land to homeless Dalits, OBCs and minorities with annual income less than Rs 5 lakh, job for at least one person in every SC family, increase in reservation for OBCs from 12% to 15%, OBC reservation in educational institutions to be doubled from 5% to 10% and waiver of loans for minorities for self-employment activities.