Congress Working Committee to meet today to approve manifesto for Lok Sabha polls

NEW DELHI: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) is slated to meet on Tuesday to discuss the party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls that are scheduled to be held in seven phases beginning from April 19.

The party's top decision making body is also expected to pass a resolution lauding former party chief Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which started from Manipur on January 14 and ended in Mumbai on March 17.

The Congress' Central Election Committee (CEC) chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge is also likely to meet to finalise the remaining candidates of the party for the seven-phase polls beginning April 19.

The Congress had formed a manifesto committee for the Lok Sabha Election 2024.

The Convenor of the committee is former Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh TS Singh Deo. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are the other members.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram who heads the Maniesfto committee had said that the party's manifesto for Lok Sabha polls will be a "people's manifesto" and apart from public consultations by party leaders, suggestions have been taken through e-mail and a website.

The party also made five guarantees, each for 'Shramik Nyay' and 'Hissedari Nyay' while party chief Mallikarjun Kharge promised to pass a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs, and a comprehensive social, economic and caste census.

The Congress guarantees an annual job package of Rs 1 lakh for diploma holders up to the age of 25, a commitment to enact stringent laws to get rid of paper leaks, the establishment of social security measures in the gig economy, the fulfilment of 30 lakh government job vacancies, and the initiation of 'Yuva Roshni' aimed at fostering startups among individuals below 40 years of age.

The first point included 'Bharti Bharosa' or recruitment trust by the Congress party wherein the party guaranteed recruitment to the youth and asserted that all the 30 lakh vacancies in the Central Government would be filled.

"Congress guarantees that it will create 30 lakh jobs in the Central Government, according to a published jobs calendar. There are 10 lakh sanctioned posts that are vacant in Central Ministries or Departments. We will also create new jobs, our party manifesto will outline the details," the All India Congress Committee stated on Thursday.

The second guarantee said that the 'Pehli naukri pakki' (first job guaranteed) would be confirmed and that the grand old party would provide apprenticeship training to every Diploma or Degree holder youth below 25 years of age in the government or private sector.

The release read, "Congress guarantees a new Right to Apprenticeship Act to provide a one-year apprenticeship with a private or a public sector company to every diploma holder or college graduate below the age of 25. Apprentices will get 1 lakh a year (Rs 8,500/month)."

It further mentioned 'Paper leak se mukti' (Freedom from paper leak) and said that the party would put an end to the paper leaks by bringing a new law.

"Congress guarantees new laws to ensure the highest standards of integrity and fairness in the conduct of public examinations that will prevent paper leaks from destroying the future of crores of youth," it added.

The fourth guarantee stated financial assistance under 'Yuva Roshni' and stated that a fund would be created with an amount of Rs 5 thousand crore which will be distributed in all the districts of the country.