Congress senior leaders Jairam Ramesh with DPCC president Devender Yadav, Pawan Khera and others, launching the party manifesto for the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls, in New Delhi on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
With a focus on the Purvanchali community, women and unemployed youth, the Congress on Wednesday (January 29, 2025) launched its manifesto promising ₹2,500 for women and ₹8,500 for unemployed youth. It also promised to conduct a Delhi caste survey and set up a Ministry for the welfare of Purvanchalis.
As he unveiled the manifesto, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said, “A guarantee means that it is the right of every citizen and if it is not fulfilled, they can go to court. Nowadays, every party uses the word guarantee. Congress has given five main guarantees for the Delhi elections.” He said the Congress had lived up to its guarantees in States such as Karnataka.
Delhi Assembly election 2025 live updates – January 29, 2025
The five guarantees included ₹2,500 for women in poor households, free healthcare up to ₹25 lakh for all residents, including free medicines and diagnostics, a one-year apprenticeship in the private or public sector along with a stipend of ₹8,500 for unemployed youth. It also includes cooking gas at ₹500 per cylinder, a free ration kit and 300 units of free electricity.
Mr. Ramesh further made references to Sheila Dikshit’s tenure saying that the Congress government introduced CNG buses, put in place a Yamuna Action Plan and undertook expansion of the Delhi Metro to eliminate air and water pollution. He added that both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP were responsible for pollution, adding that they did “not take issues such as cleaning the Yamuna seriously”.
22 segments
The manifesto, divided into 22 segments, was unveiled by Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav, who said, “In our manifesto, we have tried to touch all segments, and have taken inputs from people.”
Speaking about the segment on Purvanchali community, he said a Ministry would be created for their welfare and that Chhath Puja would be “akin to Maha Kumbh” with holidays, and other arrangements such as new permanent ghats.
The manifesto said the Congress would conduct a Delhi Caste Survey to enumerate the various deprived classes. Benefits would be provided to priests, including Buddhist monks, and priests of Sant Ravi Dass and Lord Valmiki temples.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 would be replaced by a ‘Delhi Education Policy’, school enrolment in government schools would be increased, new government schools would be set up and 700 libraries would be opened. The Congress also promised the launch of 100 Indira canteens across the city that would offer meals at ₹5.
A section in the manifesto for the LGBTQ+ community included promises such as scholarships for transgender persons and accessible washrooms. The manifesto promised 4% reservation for People with Disabilities.
Published – January 29, 2025 02:04 pm IST