Congress Manifesto 2024: Top Leaders Release 'Nyay Patra' From AICC Headquarters For Lok Sabha Election 2024

The Congress released its manifesto, titled 'Nyay Patra', for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Friday.

Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, along with former party presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, led the release of the poll manifesto just days before the general elections.

It focuses on the 'Paanch Nyay' or 'five pillars of justice' including 'Yuva Nyay', 'Naari Nyay', 'Kisaan Nyay', 'Shramik Nyay', and 'Hissedari Nyay', along with the guarantees made to the people as part of the election promises for the Lok Sabha polls.

Nyay Patra: Key Commitments Revealed

The Congress manifesto 'Nyay Patra' outlines several significant commitments aimed at addressing key issues across various sectors:

1. Filling Vacancies in Central Government: The Congress has pledged to fill nearly 30 lakh sanctioned vacancies at different levels within the central government. This initiative aims to strengthen governance, improve public services, and generate employment opportunities.

2. Adoption of Rajasthan's Cashless Insurance Model: The manifesto proposes the adoption of the Rajasthan model of cashless insurance for universal healthcare, providing coverage of up to ₹25 lakh. This measure aims to enhance healthcare accessibility and affordability for all citizens.

3. Legal Guarantees for Minimum Support Price (MSP): The Congress promises to provide legal guarantees for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) announced annually by the government, aligning with the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. This commitment is crucial to safeguarding the interests of farmers and ensuring fair prices for agricultural produce.

4. Freedom of Choice and Personal Laws for Minorities: The Congress emphasizes ensuring freedom of choice in dress, food, language, and personal laws for minorities. It also advocates for reforming personal laws through community participation and consent.

5. Nationwide Socio-Economic and Caste Census: The manifesto proposes conducting a nationwide census to enumerate castes and sub-castes, along with their socio-economic conditions. Additionally, the Congress plans to introduce a constitutional amendment to raise the 50% cap on reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).

6. Educational Reforms and Loan Relief: The Congress aims to abolish application fees for government examinations and posts. It also plans to provide one-time relief by writing off student educational loan dues, including unpaid interest as of March 15, 2024, compensating banks through government measures.

7. Recognition of Civil Unions for LGBTQIA+ Couples: After consultations, Congress intends to introduce a law recognizing civil unions for couples belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community, promoting inclusivity and equality.

8. Increase in Social Assistance Pensions: The Congress proposes increasing the central government's contribution to pensions under the National Social Assistance Programme. The monthly pension amount for senior citizens, widows, and persons with disabilities would be raised from ₹200-₹500 to ₹1,000 per month, aiming to enhance social security and support for vulnerable groups.

9. Reservation for Women in Central Government Jobs: The Congress plans to reserve 50% of central government jobs for women starting in 2025, aiming to enhance gender equality and women's representation in the workforce.

10. Legislation for Sports Federations and Scholarships: Congress will introduce separate legislation for sports federations to ensure compliance with the Olympic Charter, autonomy, and accountability. Additionally, they will provide sports scholarships of ₹10,000 per month to talented sports persons below 21 years of age.

11. Mahalakshmi Scheme for Unconditional Cash Transfers: The Congress proposes launching the Mahalakshmi scheme, providing ₹1 lakh per year to every poor Indian family as an unconditional cash transfer, targeting families at the bottom of the income pyramid.

12. Reform of Election Laws: Congress plans to amend election laws to combine the efficiency of electronic voting machines (EVMs) with the transparency of ballot paper. Voters will deposit machine-generated voting slips into a voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) unit for enhanced transparency and verification.

13. Protection of Personal Freedoms: Congress promises not to interfere with personal choices related to food, dress, marriage, travel, and residence. They aim to repeal laws that unreasonably restrict personal freedoms and amend the Constitution to disqualify members defecting from their original party.

14. Amendment to Press Council Act: Congress intends to amend the Press Council of India Act, 1978, empowering the council to address issues of fake news and paid news effectively.

15. Economic Growth and Wealth Generation: Congress is committed to rapid economic growth, targeting a doubling of GDP within the next 10 years, emphasizing prosperity and development.

These commitments reflect the Congress party's vision for governance, social justice, and inclusive development in India, as outlined in their manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.