Congress manifesto promises rapid development

ITANAGAR: With barely a week left for the April 11 simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh, the opposition Congress in the state on Thursday released its manifesto that promised inclusive growth, development and special incentives to unemployed educated youths.

Releasing the document at the Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan here, Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Takam Sanjoy, flanked by senior party leaders, said the manifesto is not merely a document of proposals but a contractual agreement of the party with the people to implement it with full responsibility and accountability if voted to power.

The party, in the manifesto, promised to provide employment assurance allowances to graduates to the tune of Rs 5,000 per month which will be routed through district employment exchanges. The party has also promised to implement suitable schemes for capacity building, vocational training, grants and allowances to unemployed youth based on local resources and availability of funds.

“The party will pursue a policy for peaceful resolution of all longstanding insurgency problems in three districts of the state — Tirap, Changlang and Longding — by working out a suitable rehabilitation package with the central government,” Sanjoy said. He added that the state government and the Centre need to work together and a rehabilitation package should be worked out along with release of funds so that the youth of the state, who have gone astray, could be persuaded for joining the mainstream.

“The government must relax the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from the three troubled districts where Naga insurgents are active so that they could be invited for talks without compromising the territorial integrity of the state,” Sanjoy said, adding that the Centre should take responsibility to bear 90% share of the rehabilitation package.

The party also promised to provide free monthly rice to BPL families in the state besides providing a one-time grant of Rs 20 lakh to students who want to pursue higher education in foreign countries.

In the health sector, the party assured to revive the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Universal Health Insurance Scheme (APCMUHIS) launched in the state by the Congress government led by former CM Nabam Tuki, with a ceiling of Rs 5 lakh to each citizen for cashless treatment in empanelled hospitals across the country.

The party also assured to provide computer education in all elementary schools besides free textbooks and uniforms, free supply of nutritional supplements like vitamins and iron tablets to BPL families, completion of Trans Arunachal Highway to ease traffic congestion in the state capital, construction of flyovers in Itanagar and Naharlagun, multi-level parking facilities in the state capital and development of satellite towns to take care of the ever-increasing population.

“The party, if voted to power, will strive for establishing surface connectivity between the state and Mandalay through Jairam-Nampong in Changlang district ,” Sanjoy said.