In a fierce competition of sorts being witnessed between the erstwhile ruling Democratic Front partners, the Congress and the rival NCP on Thursday came out with a host of promises — including some hitherto unheard of sops like either tablets or laptops to students — in their respective manifestos for the October 15 Maharashtra Assembly polls.
The Congress — in its manifesto — promised a tablet each to all Class IX pass students, free education to girls till graduation, free wi-fi facility in all colleges, closure of five toll nakas in Mumbai, one lakh low-cost houses in Mumbai, increase in monthly pension for senior citizens from Rs600 to Rs1,000, one-time financial help of Rs25,000 to all domestic servants above 55 years of age and free medical treatment up to Rs2.5 lakh to each needy person under “health for all scheme” — the Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayi Yojana.
The NCP, on the other hand, tried to outsmart its erstwhile ruling ally by handing out promises like laptops to all Class XII pass students, digital smart classrooms in all schools, free wi-fi facility in all colleges, a nutritious meal at Rs20 at State transport bus stands, pension to farmers and agriculture labourers above 65 years of age and 10 acres land for the construction of houses to policemen in Mumbai.
The Congress and NCP are contesting the October 15 State Assembly polls separately, following their split in their 15-year-long alliance last week.
In its manifesto, the Congress also promised the State income to grow at the rate of 10 per cent, it would strive to maintain the rank-one status of Maharashtra as an industrialised State in the country, that it would achieve “load-free Maharashtra, reduction in the age limit of senior citizens from 65 to 60 years, that it would construct free hostels for all backward class students in each of the State. The State MHADA would construct 1 lakh houses in Mumbai during the next five years and would construct for dwellers in Dharavi slums and BDD chawls under re-development schemes.
The Congress also promised to set up a Government medial college in each of the districts in the State. In its bid to win over de-notified and nomadic tribes, the party assured a five per cent budgetary provision for their development and it also promised to come out with a special component plan for these tribes.
On its part, the NCP also lined up some other promises like concrete internal roads and gutters in all 28,000 villages across the State, an allocation of Rs2,000 crore spend on initiatives to increase Human Development Index in the State, construction of air-strips in all districts for facilitation of 24 hour air travel, development of 1,000 express highways in the State and construction of mono rail networks in Aurangabad, Nashik and Nagpur
Both the Congress and the NCP have reiterated that they would construct a grand international memorial for Marartha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji in the Arabian sea off Mumbai coast, memorials for late BR Ambedkar in Mumbai, and other noted personalities Ahilyadevi Holkar, Vasantrao Naik, Aanabhau Sathe, lahuji Salve, Sant. Gadge Maharaj and Jiva Mahale. The Congress has also promised to acquire a 2,050 sq ft residential property on King Henry’s Road, london, where Ambedkar lived while studying at the london School of Economics in 1921-22.
While releasing the Congress’ manifesto at a news conference addressed jointly with senior party leaders like Sushil Kumar Shinde and State party president Manikrao Thakre, former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said: “Maharashtra holds the number 1 position in industrial sector and we will maintain that position. Keeping this mind, we would soon render Maharashtra into a load-shedding free State, set up more ITIs and other technical institutions and connect all the villages in the State by pucca roads”.
Chavan said that the Congress’ manifesto laid stress on five areas relating to farmers, labour, electricity, health and housing.
Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare and party’s manifesto drafting committee chairman Dilip Walse Patil released their party’s manifesto for the polls, at the state party headquarters.