The Aryavarth Express
Agency(Odisha): In a strategic move to garner support ahead of the upcoming elections, the Congress party in Odisha has announced a comprehensive five-point guarantee program designed to cater to the diverse needs of the state’s population, including youths, women, farmers, and the elderly. This set of guarantees was disclosed by party officials across all organizational districts on Saturday, emphasizing the party’s commitment to societal welfare.
At the forefront of this initiative, OPCC President spearheaded the announcement in Nuapada district, while former OPCC chief Prasad Harichandan, alongside Bobeeta Sharma, media in-charge for Odisha, made the presentation in Bhubaneswar. The guarantees are creatively titled to resonate with the target beneficiaries: Gruha Jyoti for power benefits, Gruhalaxami for women’s welfare, Krushak Bandhu for farmer support, Yuva Bikas for youth development, and Jana Kalyan for comprehensive social welfare.
The Gruha Jyoti guarantee aims to provide each household with 200 units of free power, reflecting the party’s dedication to easing the financial burden on families. In a bid to combat unemployment, the party has committed to creating employment opportunities for 5 lakh youths and providing a monthly unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000, while also putting an end to contractual appointments within the government sector.
Women are promised substantial support, including loan waivers up to Rs 5 lakh for self-help groups, a monthly allowance of Rs 2,000, and Rs 3,000 for ST and SC women. Additionally, housewives are to be provided cooking gas cylinders at a reduced rate of Rs 500 per month, ensuring relief in household expenses.
For the agrarian community, the Congress has outlined a plan for loan waivers, a minimum support price of Rs 3,000 per quintal for paddy, a Rs 2,000 pension, and the regularization of paddy procurement, aiming to uplift the agricultural sector’s stability and profitability.
Under the Jana Kalyan Guarantee, the party pledges a health assurance of Rs 25 lakh per person and proposes to increase the social security pension to Rs 2,000 per month, underlining a commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all citizens. Additional pledges include the implementation of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, within 100 days of taking office, restoration of the old pension system, and the assurance to refund victims of various ponzi schemes within six months.
In their collective statement, OPCC President Sarat Pattnayak and Kantabanji MLA Santosh Singh Saluja articulated the party’s goal to achieve its “9 to 90 mission” by winning 90 seats in the forthcoming 2024 polls, significantly increasing its current tally of nine MLAs. This ambitious target is set against the backdrop of fulfilling promises unkept by the ruling BJD and BJP, marking a direct challenge to the status quo and underscoring the Congress’s resolve to make tangible improvements in the lives of Odisha’s people.