SHILLONG, FEB 24:The ruling Congress today pledged to create over 3 lakh jobs and livelihoods by covering at least one youth per every needy family if it is re-elected to power in Meghalaya.
The party in its manifesto also promised to enhance insurance cover for the MHIS over and above the Rs 5 lakh health insurance cover announced by the Central government besides providing basic income to over 4 lakh farmers.
The 20-page manifesto was released on Saturday in three places of the state – Tura, Shillong and Jowai – by the chief minister Mukul Sangma, AICC in-charge CP Joshi and deputy chief minister Roytre C Laloo respectively.
“We are committed to providing job spaces to youth and women through the ‘enterprise facilitation centers’. It shall be our endeavour to create 3,00,000 new jobs and livelihoods by covering at least one youth per every needy family,” it states.
The party said that it would nurture young people as ‘digital enterprenuers’ by launching a new innovative ‘Enterprenuership Program through Digital Busincess’ to connect them with the markets and business in the sectors of tourism, hospitality and agriculture.
Promising to bring even more families under the Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) to ensure universal coverage, the Congress said it is committed to substantially enhance the insurance cover over and above the recently announced scheme of the Centre of Rs 5 lakhs.
It also promised to expand the provisions of availability of free medicines to the citizens especially for the BPL families besides providing accessibility to quality healthcare by upgration of PHCs and CHCs and ensuring no shortage of medical staff or technicians.
Assuring to set up a ‘Meghalaya House’ close to the NEIGHRIMS for hassle free accommodation to relatives of patients, the manifesto also promised to established diagnostic centres at block levels.
The party also said it is committed to sustainable agriculture and gradual shift to natural and organic farming so as to ensure a remunerative price to the farmers in the national and international markets for their produce.
“The government promises to provide a first of its kind seed capital assistance to small and marginal farmers during every agriculture season. This support is intended to provide a basic income and investment support to 4,00,000 farmers,” it states.
Stating that ‘Destination Meghalaya’ for education will be its special agenda, the Congress said it will have a special initiative on Human Capital Development for ensuring employability of the youth with special focu on school/college drop outs.
It also proposes to establish teaching facilities with upgradation of 2 teacher training centres, 4 DIETs and 8 ITTs in which under the scheme, training has been imparted to about 3,500 secondary and higher secondary teachers.
Apart from, this it also proposed to establish polytechnics in all districts besides encouraging private players to start professional, technical and vocational courses in the state adding 10 private universities have already been approved by enactment of separate Acts.
Further, the Congress said that it is committed to provide to all women safe and secure environment as it claimed that it had already enacted the Meghalaya Special Courts Act, 2014 in order to provide faster disposal of cases of crime against women.
For women’s empowerment, the party promised that it will set up exclusive market for women at Shillong, Tura and Jowai where retailers shall all be women, setting up of working women’s hostel in Shillong, provide a lump sum amount of Rs 15,000 as wedding assistance to orphaned girl child and others.
Stating that it would undertake all measures to eradicate the problem of drug abuse which is alarming in the state, the party said it is committed to come up with a special youth leadership program which will help the youngsters to identify their potential in life.
With regards to the long pending inter-state border dispute with Assam, the ruling Congress said it would strive to arrive at mutually acceptable solution to resolve the problems pertaining to areas of difference along Assam-Meghalaya border.
On issue of influx and illegal immigration, the party said it is committed to complete the process of placing a comprehensive measure to address the issue of influx and illegal immigration to ensure the demographic structure of the state is not disturbed.
Assuring to provide and safe and secure environment for all the citizens by maintaining effecitive law and order and undertake special measures to contain militancy and influx, it said no outlaw will be allowed to disturb the peace of the state and have zero tolerance to any desparate act of militancy.
The party further claimed that the under the present government, Meghalaya has been able to do away with bandhs and strikes and have also successfully disbanded various militant groups.
Highlighting on the various developments it proposed to take , the Congress said it will ensure last mile road connectivity of all weather roads and all towns and villages will be made accessible throughout the year by initiating new technology methods.
To improve air connectivity, it said that the government has decided to upgrade the Baljek Airport, which was conceived as Short Taking Off and Landing (STOL) airport, and acquire additional land measuring 58 acres at an amount of Rs 3,01,79,775.
Besides construction of helpads in all district headquarters and major tourist destinations and connect through Helicopter Taxi Serivce, the Congress said the survey for mono rail in Shillong has been completed and implementation shall now take place adding feasibility survey for introduction of cable cars will also be conducted.
It also promised to provide housing assistance to the economically weaker sections of the society and said that beneficiaries will be entitled to Rs 75,000 as financial assistance while low income group families will be provided dwelling houses in stabilized village areas.
The Congress also assured to come out with a comprehensive media policy to address the needs of the working journalists besides setting up of a technologically advanced and well equipped media centre in Shillong.
By Our Reporter
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