Trinamool manifesto: 5L jobs, financial support to farmers amongst promises

Ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has released Trinamool Congress's election manifesto today. The manifesto includes ten promises that the leader assured would form the foundation of governance over the next five years if elected to power.

"I humbly present my 10 'Ongikars' (promises) to build a stronger and more prosperous Bengal, so that the wheels of development keep moving forward in the third term of our government. The aim is just one, to sustain Bengal as one of the leading states in the country," Banerjee said.

The focus, Banerjee explained, shall be on generating five lakh new jobs per year and transforming Bengal into the fifth-largest economy in the country. Explaining the manifesto provision for a basic income to the woman head of the family, Banerjee said, "For the first time, female heads of 1.6 crore households will benefit from a monthly basic income support scheme. Under this, 1.6 crore eligible general category families will get a monthly cash transfer of Rs 500, which will amount to Rs 6,000 annually."

The manifesto also offers student loans up to Rs 10 lakhs using student credit cards at an interest rate of four per cent and improvement in the state's health and education budget. Additionally, it promises financial support of Rs 10,000 per annum per acre for farmers.

"We are going to provide Rs 10,000 per acre per annum to all small and marginal farmers. All the ten promises are my personal commitments, and I promise to deliver them to the people of Bengal," the Trinamool leader said. The CM has also promised to follow up with the Centre regarding the grant of ST status for the Mahato community in Bengal's Junglemahal.