Integrity, AFSPA top Cong manifesto
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 04 2022: With regard to the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly election, the Congress party today released its election manifesto which is titled Policy Statement.

The election manifesto was released at a gathering attended by AICC Parliamentary Committee Chairman and senior election observer (Manipur) Jairam Ramesh, AICC Manipur in-charge Bhakta Charan Das, CLP leader and ex-Chief Minister Okram Ibobi, MPCC president Nameirakpam Loken and other key leaders of the party at Congress Bhavan.

Through its manifesto, the Congress party promises to safeguard the integrity of Manipur and urge the Central Government to repeal AFSPA, establish Manipur Regiment and bring all round development in Manipur.

In case the Congress party is elected to power, all efforts would be invested to be self-reliant in paddy production, irrigation infrastructure would be enhanced so that farmers who are currently engaged in single cropping can do double-cropping or triple cropping, the manifesto promises.

Integrity, AFSPA top Cong manifesto

It has also set 11 different goals including ensuring employment of 50,000 youths in a year, arrival of half a million tourists in the State every year etc.

The manifesto also contains a report of the policies and programmes executed by the Congress-led Government from 2002 to 2017 .

It went on to claim that the 15 years from 2002 to 2017 was a golden era for Manipur.

Congress party would always safeguard the integrity and the sanctity of its territorial boundary.

Maximum pressure would be exerted on the Centre to resolve all inter-State and Indo-Myanmar boundary issues, it said.

Some other points listed in the election manifesto include establishment of State Food and Essential Commodities Corporation, revival of the agriculture policy enacted by the UPA Government, establishment of Muga silk park, extension of sops to farmers based on minimum support price and minimum procurement price etc.

The Congress party also promises to enact Manipur Cultural Diversity Policy, Manipur State Energy Policy and establish State Forest Development Corporation.

Filling up of vacant Government posts transparently by relaxing the upper age limit by three years in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and establishment of the Manipur Staff Selection Commission too figured in the manifesto.

Implementation of NFSA 2013 in letter and spirit after reviewing and updating the list of beneficiaries is another point listed in the election manifesto.

ICDS would be strengthened and a scheme called "Free Critical Medical Treatment to Children" would be introduced.

Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 would be implemented in letter and spirit, it continued.

The Congress party further promised to uphold freedom of press and compensate media persons who were detained wrongfully.

Rights of linguistic and religious minorities would be safeguarded, it said.

Opening of Manipur Trade Centre and construction of shelter homes for unorganised workers too figure in the election manifesto.

It further promised to construct a district guest house for each hill district at Imphal and adopt 'mountain economy' so as to bring integrated development in the State.

Regarding sports, the Congress promised to develop super-speciality sports infrastructure and incorporate physical education and sports science in education curriculum.

The Congress party vowed that community sports centres would be opened in every block.

It further pledged to reduce prices of essential commodities by managing VAT levied on petroleum products.

The goals set by Congress party through its election manifesto which are supposed to be achieved in the next five years include doing away with power shortage and power cuts throughout the State, promotion of 5000 MSMEs in one year and ensuring universal access to drinking water.

Development of satellite towns around Imphal, promotion of terraced pisciculture in hill districts, implementation of Project Emerald Fishery and reservation of one-third of available posts in Government appointments for women are some other assurances given by Congress party.

Speaking at the occasion, Jairam Ramesh claimed that the election manifesto released today is not an ordinary manifesto but a sacred document which would ensure both survival and revival of Manipur.

The sacred document would bring back Manipur to its original path and BJP's double-engine Government would be sent to a dark abyss, he said.

Jairam Ramesh said that they would translate every point of the manifesto into action and action taken reports would be made available to the public from time to time.

O Ibobi said that the election manifesto released today was drafted very meticulously and they consider it as a sacred document.

"We would not follow the lines of the BJP Governments of the Centre and the State, often touted as double-engine Government, which make all kinds of tall promises without ever bothering to translate them into action", Ibobi said.

"It is our promise and duty to translate the points of the manifesto into action", he asserted.

The CLP leader said that they would review the points of the manifesto at least once every year, if not quarterly or half-yearly and all efforts would be invested to translate them into action.

Later, the Congress leaders flagged off 14 election campaign vans equipped with audio-video systems.