Congress promises to raise 50% cap on quotas, right to apprenticeship in manifesto

Right to apprenticeship, a legal guarantee for MSP, and passing a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs are among the promises made by the Congress in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls released on Friday.

The manifesto, focusing on five "pillars of justice" and 25 guarantees under them, was released at the AICC headquarters in the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

In the document titled Nyay Patra, the opposition party said it would implement 10 per cent quota in jobs, educational institutions for economically weaker sections (EWS) for all castes, communities without discrimination if it comes to power.

It also promised to fill nearly 30 lakh vacancies in sanctioned posts at various levels in the central government and said the Rajasthan model of cashless insurance of up to Rs 25 lakh will be adopted for universal healthcare.

The Congress will pass a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SC, ST and OBC if it comes to power in the general elections beginning April 19, the party promised.

The Congress also said it will conduct a nationwide socio-economic and caste census.

Appealing to people to look beyond religion, language, caste and choose wisely to install a democratic government, the party said the general elections present an opportunity to radically the change the style of governance that has been in evidence over the past decade.

It said it guarantees a new 'right to apprenticeship act' to provide one-year apprenticeship to every diploma holder or graduate below age of 25.

Besides, it said it will give legal guarantee to Minimum Support Prices (MSP) announced by the government every year as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission.

"We will immediately restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir," the party stated in the manifesto.

It said it will launch an urban employment programme guaranteeing work for urban poor in reconstruction, renewal of urban infrastructure.

The party said in the document that it would abolish the Agnipath programme and direct the armed forces to resume normal recruitment to achieve full sanctioned strength.

"I urge everyone to have a close look at our manifesto and you will see a 'shandaar tasveer' (beautiful picture) of our country in it," the Congress president said while addressing the gathering.

"We will open the doors to the poor when we come to power....PM Modi is taking our people and claiming '400 Paar' MPs," Kharge added.

Only those who have done something and have fear are quitting the party to join the BJP, he said.

Kharge also wondered what kind of level playing field is there when the principal opposition party's accounts have been frozen.