Congress, NCP releases poll manifesto in Maharashtra

Mumbai, Oct 3 (ANI): The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party combine released its manifesto for the October 13 assembly polls in Maharashtra on Friday.

Releasing the manifesto, Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said: "The manifesto promises to make Mumbai an international financial capital in five years. It also promises to construct a million subsidized homes for the poor.

"For the families in the category of Below Poverty Line (BPL), the two parties would provide special health cards to enable them to avail of medical benefits. They would also get food grains at rupees three per kilogram for up to 25 kilogram per month," he added.

"Giving good health care, good education, especially for women of the state, the girls who would like to go to good schools and colleges, strengthening the women and the girls in this state is an important programme that we have undertaken. Strengthening the police force and security agencies is one of the highlights, giving food grains at subsidised prices and controlling the inflation, if at all in these five essential commodities, are some of the few issues which we have taken in the manifesto," Chavan said.

The Congress-NCP combine also plans to arrange a rupees 300,000 loan at a nominal three percent interest for farmers.

The alliance, which is taking on the opposition coalition of the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state, is hoping for a hat-trick. (ANI)