Cong targets youth vote; vows 10L jobs, Rs 1,500 allowance

New Delhi: Aiming to attract youth voters, the Congress on Wednesday promised 10 lakh government jobs, a monthly unemployment allowance of Rs 1,500 and farm loan waiver if voted to power.

While releasing the party's manifesto titled 'Badlav Patra 2020' (the document of change) for Bihar assembly election, the Congress also assured the farmers of 50 per cent rebate in electricity bills and repeal of the three farm laws brought by the Centre. The manifesto, which was released by actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar in the presence of national general secretaries Randeep Singh Surjewala and Tariq Anwar and AICC Bihar in-charge Shakti Singh

Gohil, also promised free education to every girl child right from "KG to PG", welfare schemes for journalists, resuming the study of Maithili language in schools.

The manifesto also stated that emphasis will be laid on the development of other languages such as Bhojpuri, Magahi, Angika and Vajjika spoken in different parts of the state.

Notably, under the Congress governments, Maithili language, which is listed in the 8th schedule of the Constitution, used to be taught in schools. Ever since it was removed from school syllabi, no recruitment of Maithili teachers took place.

Responding to a query, Surjewala criticised the manner in which the prohibition law was being enforced in Bihar.

"Is there any prohibition in the state? The (liquor) mafia is having a field day. They are flourishing under the government's patronage and protection," he alleged.

However, Surjewala did not clearly say whether the alliance government will scrap the prohibition law as the manifesto talked of reviewing the prohibition policy if elected to power.

Brushing aside Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's mockery of the Mahagathbandhan's promise of sanctioning 10 lakh government jobs, Babbar asserted the commitment will be fulfilled at the very first meeting of the alliance cabinet.

"Those ridiculing us will become an object of ridicule themselves," he said, adding that those who fail to get jobs will get a monthly unemployment allowance of Rs 1,500.

Babbar accused Nitish Kumar of repeatedly "ditching" the youth, and added that during his tenure as the chief minister his government could have easily given 4.5 lakh government jobs to young men and women.

Apart from jobs and unemployment allowance, the party promised a loan waiver for farmers having small and medium land holdings but did not quantify it.

Citing the example of Punjab where the Congress government passed new bills to override the central law, Gohil said, "The alliance government will repeal the three "anti-farm laws" brought in by the Centre in the very first session of the state assembly." The Congress is contesting 70 out of the 243 assembly seats in alliance with the RJD, and three Left parties. The RJD will contest 144 seats, CPI(ML) 19, CPI six and CPI(M) four.