Staff Reporter
SHILLONG:
Former Congress union minister and incumbent Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh on February 11 said that the Congress in the state of Meghalaya will give an annual report to the people of the implementation of its manifesto.
Ramesh was present at the release of the Congress’ manifesto for the upcoming Assembly polls, other prominent leaders present on the occasion were All India Congress Committee (AICC) leaders Manish Chatrath, AICC media coordinators Marc Antony and Bobeeta Sharma, MPCC president Vincent Pala, and the chairman of the manifesto committee Celestine Lyngdoh.
“Now we have released a manifesto. This manifesto has 14 promises to be fulfilled over the next five years. Every year we will present a report to the people of Meghalaya, giving a report card on the status of implementation of each of the promises that we have made. We will hold ourselves accountable to the people of Meghalaya,” Ramesh said.
Turning to the five star commitments of the Congress, he said that the party has made five commitments to empower women by giving Rs 3000 rupees per month to every single BPL mothers, promising jobs to deserving youth, corruption-free Meghalaya, power-cut free Meghalaya and drug free Meghalaya.
Lyngdoh said that the promises in the manifesto are doable and can be fulfilled.
He said that the party has advised all the grassroots workers to meet the people, feel the pulse of their needs of people from all walks of life, especially in the villages even as he pointed out that the needs of the people are different as far as urban and rural areas are concerned.
Replying to a query on coal mining, the former Minister of Environment and Forests said that mining has to be done in an environmentally responsible, humanitarian manner, and according to the laws of the land.
“The Congress Party will follow the laws which are there for environmentally responsible and humanitarian manner, blanket ban on mining creates adverse consequences for employment,” Ramesh said, stating that extra care needs to be needed as it is a fragile state.
Asked about the financial commitments made in the manifesto, he said that the commitments have been made keeping in mind the financial requirements for the promises to be implemented.
“When you’ve got a responsible and responsive political party, you would have to take the steps that have been identified particularly as far as relief for single women is concerned, relief for households…. These will require a lot of financial commitments. But these are commitments that we will fulfill,” he added.
Ramesh observed that if the government is serious, it can find the resources to fulfill financial requirements as it is a five-year manifesto.
When pointed out that the Congress did not deliver much, the former union minister admitted that much more needs to be done as there are new challenges, particularly the challenge of the environment.
Asked about border issues, Pala said that the party will push for a boundary commission and stakeholders will have an opportunity to examine and present their views, ideas.
Responding to a question as to whether the financial assistance to single BPL mothers will encourage the breaking up of families, he said that the society is deteriorating because of the family problems and decided to help the mothers.
The state Congress president informed that impact assessment will be made every two years and for which a lot of research will be needed as well as update the data.
Replying to a question that the inclusion of Khasi, Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution is not there in the manifesto, Ramesh said that the matter lies with the Center which also undergoes elaborate processes.
MANIFESTO:
The Congress in its manifesto has promised free health care for all citizens, free education for every girl child, minimum support price for farmers, free roof for every BPL household, Res 500 crores corpus fund for building infrastructure for religious gatherings, dedicated state university for market-ready courses, special urban police force, free power for BPL families, free LPG cylinder for BPL families, pension for journalists, no more delay in salary, exclusive women market, megha-power, a manufacturing hub.
The other sections in the manifesto is the party’s vision to revive the mining sector, resolve border dispute, creation of handloom and handicrafts hub, to set up a sports infrastructure Development Fund and to use digital technology.