Dehradun: The Congress party today launched its election manifesto for the Uttarakhand vidhan sabha election scheduled for Jan 30 simultaneously at Dehradun and Haldwani.
The highlight of the manifesto is that its focus is more on making tall promises and getting votes from various sections rather than focusing on problems plaguing this small mountain state and making it self-sufficient.
In a bid to woo the large number of unemployed educated youth of the state, the party announced an unemployment allowance ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1500 depending upon the education of the registered unemployed.
However, it makes no mention of steps that will be taken to create employment avenues or for that matter promote self employment schemes in the state.
As the Anna campaign has also brought the focus of the aam aadmi on the issue of corruption the Congress promises to probe the allegation of corruption that have been made against the party’s government during 2002-2007 headed by the veteran leader Narain Dutt Tewari.
This has probably been done to send the message that the party is for zero tolerance to corruption.
It also speaks on making it mandatory for the party MLAs and ministers, should it come to power, to make public their assets every year, which will keep a tab on the amount of wealth that is being accumulated.
However, it is another issue that it does not say that the assets will be made public in the form of an affidavit, so that the correct figures are brought out.
There are various other promises primarily to lure various sections of society from teachers to journalists and sportsmen, but what is lacking is that the manifesto does not speak of what steps will be taken on important matters that need to be looked into.
There is no word of how migration from the villages to the towns will be tackled and what will be done to ensure that the fertile fields in the hills are not converted into barren grounds.
It also does not say what will be done to ensure that the basis amenities of primary health, potable water and education are provided at the villages or at a common place amongst a cluster of villages.
There is now word on improving the communication network in the state or assuring electricity to all the villages. These perhaps are issues which are not as important as populistic vote catching measures that appeal to the voters.
A journalist with over 40 years of experience, Jagdish Bhatt was Editor, Hill Post (Uttarakhand).
Jagdish had worked with India’s leading English dailies, which include Times of India, Indian Express, Pioneer and several other reputed publications. A highly acclaimed journalist, he was a recipient of many awards
Jagdish Bhatt, aged 72, breathed his last on 28th August 2021 at his Dehradun residence.
i like the manefesto of Congress party