Congress releases mini-manifesto for Telangana

In what could be termed as a ‘mini-manifesto’ before the polls, Congress released the declaration in the presence of AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

Hyderabad: Telangana Congress on Monday promised to provide electric scooters to every girl student of 18 years of age and above, as part of its ‘Hyderabad Youth Declaration’, a charter of commitments that the party would fulfil if it comes to power in the Assembly elections that are to be held by this year-end.

In what could be termed as a ‘mini-manifesto’ before the polls, the party released the declaration in the presence of AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. It also said the young men and women, who laid down their lives during the first and final phases of the Statehood movement, would be recognised as martyrs and one of their family members would be given a government job besides Rs 25,000 monthly pension to the martyr’s mother, father or wife.

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Two lakh government jobs would be filled in the first year of formation of the Congress government, the party declared, even as it promised that unemployed youth would be given a Rs 4,000 payment per month until they get a job.

A Youth Commission would be set up and Rs 10 lakh interest-free loan provided to increase livelihood opportunities, the Congress said. The party also promised that after forming the government, it would reimburse all fees to students and also backlog if any would be cleared.

Quality education would be provided to the children of police and Road Transport Corporation (RTC) personnel by setting up two universities in Hyderabad and Warangal.

Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi accused the Telangana government of failing to fulfil the aspirations of the people with the requirement of water, funds and jobs not being provided to them so far, even as the State witnessed suicides of 8,000 farmers since 2014.

Attacking the BRS government in a public meeting here, she alleged that only those close to the ruling party were getting jobs, water and funds.

“(Around) 8,000 farmers committed suicide from 2014. Every day on an average, approximately three farmers committed suicide,” she charged.

Referring to Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s regime, she said the dispensation thinks that Telangana is their “jagir (estate) and they are the new Jagirdars (estate owning class)”.