Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Congress leader Pawan Khera during the manifesto.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: The I.N.D.I.A. bloc on Tuesday unveiled its manifesto for the Bihar polls, promising a review of liquor ban and providing relief to Dalits and poor jailed for violating prohibition laws, government jobs to a member of every family, Rs 2,500 month allowance for women, 200 units of free power and cooking gas at Rs 500 for poor households.
The 32-page 'Bihar ka Tejashwi Pran' (Tejashwi's Resolve), which was released in Patna, also promised a law to prevent atrocities against Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) as well as as IT parks, SEZs, dairy and agro-based industries, an education city, food processing units, new and renewable energy projects and five new expressways in the state among others.
RJD leader and the bloc's Chief Ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav said people of Bihar want a “crime-free and scam-free regime” while expressing hope that the voters would teach a lesson to NDA in the polls.
“People want a government that would provide 'padhai' (better education), 'dawai' (better health facilities), 'kamai' (employment) and 'sichai' (better irrigation facilities). The NDA has no vision for Bihar. They have not released the manifesto for the polls so far...BJP leaders and corrupt officials have made Chief Minister Nitish Kumar a puppet," he said at a joint press conference.
It has also promised jobless graduate and post-graduate youth a monthly unemployment allowance of Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 respectively as also an end to the practice of outsourcing jobs.
Many of the promises made in the manifesto were announced earlier by I.N.D.I.A. leaders, including providing permanent jobs to 'Jeevika Didis' (community mobilisers) with a monthly salary of Rs 30,000, increase in social sector pension and land for landless labourers in rural and urban areas.
The I.N.D.I.A. bloc has also promised a law to prevent harassment of women who have taken loans from micro-finance institutions besides a monthly honorarium of Rs 2,500 per month and free bus ride for women.
At the same time, the manifesto also said if voted to power, the alliance will review the existing prohibition regime and implement a fair policy. It also promised relief for Dalits and poor who have been jailed for violating the existing laws of prohibition.
"The Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act has completely failed. If the I.N.D.I.A. bloc is voted to power, we will remove the ban on toddy," Tejashwi said. Traditional jobs involving production of toddy and mahua, a local liquor, will be kept out of the ambit of prohibition, the manifesto said.
The I.N.D.I.A. bloc would also conduct a Labour Census if voted to power so that economic help be provided to them after ascertaining their situation.