Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday made several promises, including the introduction of subsidised cooking gas cylinders through a new scheme, the waiver of loans for Self-Help Groups and free treatment for victims of road accidents if her party is re-elected in Chhattisgarh.
Addressing an election rally at Jalbandha in the Khairagarh Assembly segment, the Congress general secretary also promised to provide up to 200 units of free electricity to the people of the state if Congress retains power. She also said around 6,000 government higher secondary and high schools will be upgraded to Swami Atmanand English and Hindi medium schools.
Notably, Khairagarh is among the 20 Assembly constituencies which will go to polls in the first phase on November 7. The remaining 70 constituencies will see voting in the second phase on November 17. Votes will be counted on December 3.
Here's Congress' promises to the people of Chhattisgarh
- Subsidy of Rs 500 for cylinder refills directly put into the bank accounts of women
- Free electricity up to 200 units, and 200 units of free electricity per month for higher consumption
- Waiver of loans taken by Women Self-Help Groups and under the "Saksham Yojana"
- Establishment of 700 new rural industrial parks
- Upgrading all government schools to Swami Atmanand English and Hindi medium schools
- Free treatment for road and accident victims
- Waiving of Rs 726 crores of debts for 6,600 vehicle owners involved in the transportation business by 2018
- Procurement of "Tivara" (a type of lentil) at Minimum Support Price (MSP)
Priyanka Gandhi takes dig at BJP
The Congress general secretary praised the welfare programs and achievements of the Bhupesh Baghel-led government, stating that the people of Chhattisgarh were happy, whereas those in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, which is also heading to polls next month, were dissatisfied with their BJP government. "That government (in MP) made 22,000 promises but did not complete even half of them and committed 220 scams. If such a government that does not work for your welfare comes for five years, then there will be no harm to politicians but your children's future will get affected. Good schemes for women will be stopped," she claimed.
"BJP has been in power for 18 years in MP but they did nothing for women's rights and safety. Violence against women is maximum there. Seventeen rapes are reported daily in MP. Two months before the elections, they launched the Ladli Behna Scheme and put some money into accounts of women. Do they think women are idiots," she questioned.
She said that the Chhattisgarh government has worked for farmers, women, tribals, Dalits and everyone in the state, and Bastar, which was earlier known for Naxal violence, was now famous for millets. "The Baghel government has been giving your assets back to you through various schemes. But what is the Centre doing? It is snatching away the same assets and handing them over to big industrialists like Adani. Ports, airports, railways and PSU are being sold to industrialists at throwaway prices," she alleged.
Congress leader on Caste census
"We talk about equality, empowerment and representation of all. It is the thinking of our party, which was Mahatma Gandhi's thoughts and vision that the development of the country will not be complete unless rural areas are developed," she asserted.
Advocating for a caste census, she questioned how welfare programs could be developed when the numbers of the needy population and potential beneficiaries were unknown. She highlighted that the BJP claims to support the upliftment of Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, and Other Backward Classes but opposes a caste census when the Congress seeks one. "The Women Reservation Bill has been passed. There was a lot of publicity but the information was later received that it would not be implemented for 10 years. Publicity is being done but work is not taking place on the ground. This is their (BJP's) politics," she added.
Congress has fielded sitting MLA Yashoda Verma from the Khairagarh seat. The seat was won by Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) candidate Devvrat Singh in the 2018 Assembly polls. In the bypolls necessitated by the death of Singh, Congress managed to win the seat. Subsequently, the Baghel government carved out Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai district from Rajnandgaon.
