Pension scheme, free power, 1 lakh jobs... : Congress' manifesto

Shimla: Releasing its election manifesto for Himachal Pradesh, Congress has added revival of the old pension scheme, 300 units of free power, a ₹ 680-crore StartUp fund, one lakh jobs and ₹ 1,500 per month for women between 18 to 60 years etc., PTI reported.

Congress said that it would contest the election under a collective leadership but decide its candidate for the chief minister after discussions with elected MLAs and party high command.

The state is going to polls on November 12.

Releasing the manifesto, Congress's manifesto committee chairman Dhani Ram Shandil said that the current BJP government in the state never lived up to the people's expectations. It has not fulfilled the promise it made five years ago.

"This is not just a poll manifesto but a document prepared for the development and welfare of the people of Himachal Pradesh," he said.

The party released the document in the presence of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel while AICC in-charge for Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Shukla, former Congress state unit chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and AICC secretaries Tejinder Pal Bittu and Manish Chatrath, attended the function.

Regarding the revival of the old pension scheme, Baghel said Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have written to the Central government to return the people's money with the National Pension System, implementing the scheme, but the Centre refused.

"We will again write to the Central government and seek legal advice to implement the old pension scheme," he said.

Shukla claimed that the manifesto was prepared after consulting all sections of society. The document p[romises setting up an anti-drug enforcement agency headed by a retired judge in the state where the menace is high.

He further said that all transfers passed by the Jairam Thakur government to harass officials would be revoked. Congress will form an agriculture and growers committee, with the representation of apple growers, to decide the price of fruits and crops.

The party will provide loans for taxi drivers at nominal rates. It will increase their permits from 10 years to 15 years.

Further, the party announced pensions for journalists, fee relaxation for gun licenses and bringing down of the state's debt burden.

The Congress is trying to use the anti-incumbency factor, motivating voters not to elect BJP to power in the state again.