Congress Himachal poll manifesto woos farmers, youths, employees

Releasing the manifesto, Congress leader and Health Minister Kaul Singh said all margil and small farmers in the state would be extended an interest-free loan of Rs one lakh without following strict conditions.

He said if the party returned to power, all categories of employees would be granted a special grade pay scale. For the labourers employed in the central government-funded Mahatma Gandhi tiol Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the party said their wages would be hiked to Rs 350 per day from the existing Rs 150.

“We will ask the central government to increase the MGNREGA wages from Rs 150 to Rs 350. If it will not agree, we will provide the hiked wages from our own resources,” said Kaul Singh. He was accompanied by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh at the manifesto launch ceremony here. The Congress government has been distributing 10,000 laptops every year among meritorious students of Class 10 and 11 under the Rajiv Gandhi Digital Students Yoj. The manifesto promises to provide 50,000 laptops annually to check dropouts from government schools. The minister said the party was in the fray on the basis of its five-year rule that ensured all-around development with the focus on opening educatiol and health institutions, especially schools and colleges in far-flung areas, and developing road infrastructure. (IANS)