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Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday released a manifesto for women ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, promising that 40 per cent of the 20 lakh new jobs her party aims to create in the state will be allotted to women.
In the six-point manifesto titled ‘Shakti Vidhan’, she also said that if the Congress forms government, it will ensure 50 per cent of all ration shops in the state are managed and run by women, reserve 25 per cent of all jobs in the police force for women and ensure free medical treatment for women for any disease up to Rs 10 lakhs per family.
Besides these, 40 per cent work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) will also be reserved and prioritised for women, Priyanka Gandhi said, days after she announced reserving 40 per cent Congress poll tickets for women.
The points covered in the manifesto are ‘swabhiman’ (self-respect), ‘swawlamban’ (self-sufficiency), ‘shiksha’ (education), ‘samman’ (respect), ‘suraksha’ (security) and ‘sehat’ (health).
On allotting 40 per cent new jobs to women, Priyanka Gandhi, who is also a general secretary in the Congress, stressed that the allotment will be made in accordance with existing provisions of reservation.
Within the state labour ministry, there will also be a government department to ensure humane working conditions of domestic workers, she promised while releasing the manifesto at the Congress office here.
Businesses increasing their female employee numbers to 50 per cent shall be assisted through adequate incentives, including tax exemptions, she added.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said this is the first manifesto for women released for the next year Uttar Pradesh elections, with Priyanka Gandhi hoping that “this will not remain the only such manifesto, and there will be pressure on other political parties to take women participation in politics seriously”.
“To increase the female workforce of Uttar Pradesh and reduce gender inequality, the Congress party will ensure 40 per cent of the 20 lakh new jobs it aims to create in the state will be allotted to women in accordance with the existing provisions of reservation,” Priyanka Gandhi said.
Specific quotas for women in conventionally male-centric professions such as drivers of public transportation shall be set aside at 40 per cent in accordance with existing provisions of reservation, the Congress leader said.
The Congress gave India its first woman prime minister, Indira Gandhi, and it was also the Congress that gave Uttar Pradesh its first woman chief minister, Sucheta Kriplani, said Priyanka Gandhi.
She added that it was the Congress that brought Panchayati Raj and delivered to lakhs of women across the country the power to govern their villages and municipalities.
The Congress also made a commitment to 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament, she said.
“Only some time back, the US got its first woman vice-president, and we had a woman prime minister a long time back,” Priyanka Gandhi said.
Women representation in Parliament and legislative assemblies is below 15 per cent. In offering 40 per of tickets for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections, it is hoped that a new opportunity for women political leadership in the state will emerge, she said.
“We want to make this 40 per cent to 50 per cent. By this, we want to rectify the imbalance in politics,” she said.
The Congress also mooted a special fund to provide low or zero interest rate loans and tax refunds for women-run small businesses, and Rs 10,000 per month honorarium for anganwadi and ASHA workers in Uttar Pradesh.
Every girl in the 10+2 standard will be provided with a smart phone, while every girl enrolled in a graduate programme will be given a scooty, the party manifesto for women said.
Exclusively girls, Indira Dakshata Vidyalayas, modelled on Kendriya Vidyalayas, will be opened in 75 districts of the state. These will be residential schools, focussing on identifying talent, skill building and providing vocational training along with academic excellence, it said.
Special employment exchanges will be set up to incentivise and facilitate employment for women especially from marginalised sections. Funded programmes to train single mothers in various vocations will be instituted, the manifesto said.
It promised free of cost ride for women in all public transport to enable them access to schools, universities and workplaces. Construction of ‘Mahila chaupals’ in every gram panchayat will also be undertaken, the manifesto said.
Free internet for low-income households for easy access to online classes and free gas cylinders to every woman each year were other highlights of the manifesto.
On 40 per cent poll tickets to women, Priyanka Gandhi said, “The response has been good, and a large number of applications had come, of which a number of applications have been cleared. Soon, the first will be announced.”
On BJP’s allegation that the Congress had not done enough, she said, “The BJP leaders should remember that they are in power for the past seven years, and the rhetoric (‘ratt’) of 60 years and 70 years lasts only for a particular time. They should speak about what they have done.”
Whether her move will be replicated in Congress-ruled states, she said, “I have initiated this here, and I have taken the step since I am the in-charge of UP. Such initiatives should be taken in other states and also where we (Congress) are in the government. I hope that all political parties take this step.”
Priyanka Gandhi also said that party’s manifesto is likely to be ready in two weeks, and added that the first list (of candidates) cleared by the party has names of 60 women and 40 men. “However, it has not been made public,” she said.
