Meghalaya Polls 2023: Congress releases manifesto, promises 'Five Star Meghalaya’ through five commitments

Former union minister and senior All India Congress Committee (AICC) leader Jairam Ramesh released the party’s manifesto on February 11 for Meghalaya Assembly election scheduled for February 27 next.

Congress has pledged "Five Commitments" to create a "Five Star Meghalaya" if elected to power in the hill state.

Jairam Ramesh stated in the manifesto that the BJP was threatening Meghalaya's cultural and independent identity. He also attacked the MDA partners, calling them puppets and claiming that the party in question was the JMC (Judas Mukul Congress), not the TMC.

Congress has committed the following promises in their poll manifesto
1.    YOUR HEALTH IS OUR WEALTH – FREE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL CITIZENS:
We are committed to providing free health care for all our citizens under our soon to be unveiled Free Health Care Scheme.
2.    A GIRL CHILD IS A GIFT FROM GOD – FREE EDUCATION FOR EVERY GIRL CHILD:
We are committed to providing free education to every girl child in Meghalaya from Kindergarten to XII standard. This initiative of ours will go a long way in empowering every girl-child to fulfil their dreams, ambitions and aspirations.
3.    MINIMUM SUPPORT PRICE (MSP) FOR OUR FARMERS:
Our farmers are our pride. We will announce a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Ginger, Turmeric, Broomstick, Black Pepper and other agricultural products.
4.    FREE ROOF FOR EVERY BPL HOUSEHOLD:
We will provide every BPL household with quality roofing materials in a phased implementation.
5.    500 CRORES CORPUS FUND FOR BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS
6.    OUR CHILDREN OUR FUTURE
DEDICATED STATE UNIVERSITY FOR MARKET-READY COURSES:
We will establish of a dedicated State University with special focus on job-oriented and market-ready courses such as IOT (Internet of Things), Block Chain Technology, IT and ITES.
7.    SPECIAL URBAN POLICE FORCE:
We are committed to establishing a Special Urban Police Force which will be modern, people-friendly and equipped to handle city-based crime scenarios using the latest technology and equipment.
 
8.    FREE POWER FOR BPL FAMILIES
We will provide 200 units of free power to each household with consumption expenditure below the poverty line (BPL).
9.    FREE LPG CYLINDER FOR BPL FAMILIES
We will provide free LPG cylinder quarterly to each household with consumption expenditure below the poverty line (BPL).
10.    ONE JOB FOR EVERY HOUSEHOLD
We will create 1 job for every household in Meghalaya through promotion of mass entrepreneurship.
11.    OUR FOURTH ESTATE IS OUR PRIDE – PENSION FOR JOURNALISTS:
The Fourth Pillar of our democracy has been neglected. We will reverse that trend. Substantial pensionary and other benefits for all accredited journalists, who have attained pensionable-age will be our core commitment.
12.    DIGNITY FOR OUR TEACHERS – NO MORE DELAY IN SALARY
We will restore the dignity of all teachers in Meghalaya. No more delay in salaries. Our teachers don’t have to resort to dharna or protests for their legitimate demands. We respect you and your profession and your justified demands will be fulfilled because we respect the dignity of your profession and acknowledge your selfless service.
13.    EXCLUSIVE WOMEN’S MARKET:
We shall establish an exclusive market for women where products with “Proudly Made in Meghalaya” tag will be marketed and sold.
14.    MEGHA-POWER:
We propose to augment the power supply in our state by an additional 500 MW through the adoption of clean and green technologies.

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