Arunachal: Congress releases manifesto with focus on healthcare, education and jobs

ITANAGAR — Opposition Congress in Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday released its manifesto ahead of the simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the state, focusing on the health and education sectors, besides promising jobs for youths.

Releasing the manifesto, Pradesh Congress Committee president Nabam Tuki said it was drafted after due consideration of the views, opinions and grievances of the people.

The northeastern state will go to simultaneous polls for two Lok Sabha and 50 assembly constituencies in the first phase on April 19.

The ruling BJP has already won 10 seats in the 60-member assembly, unopposed.

Though the Congress had fielded 34 candidates for the assembly polls this year, only 19 candidates remain in the fray after several nominees refrained from filing nominations and others withdrew their papers.

Tuki, who is contesting against Union Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju from the Arunachal West Parliamentary seat, asserted that the Congress stands for “giving power to people”.

 “The Congress has played an important role in the political evolution of Arunachal Pradesh and has been sensitive to its tribal culture and ethos. The people of the state have always placed their confidence in the party,” he said.

According to the manifesto, the party will upgrade all government primary and middle schools to residential schools with hostel facility, and construct model schools in every district in line with the Jawahar Novodaya Vidyalaya and Kendriya Vidyalaya.

 “We will provide compulsory stipend to APST students from preparatory to Class 12 level in all government and private schools in the state, besides enhancement in students’ stipends, regulation of fees in private institutions and regularisation of SSA teachers,” Tuki said.

In the health sector, the Congress said it would fill vacancies of staff and doctors in all government hospitals if the party returns to power in the state.

The manifesto also talks about regularising contractual nursing staff within a year, establishment of super specialty hospitals in every district headquarters and enhancement in the chief minister’s health insurance scheme.

Other promises include regularisation of contractual and contingency employees, job guarantee for youths after obtaining skill development training, a new law to curb paper leaks in competitive examinations, enhancement of minimum wages for labourers and cash incentives for registered farmers.

The grand old party also assured people about minimum support price for agriculture and allied products, and implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006 in the “right earnest”.