Congress promises waiving off farmers' loans, govt jobs ahead of UP Assembly polls

Priyanka Gandhi said that three 'pratigya yatras' were being taken out by the party from Saturday in different parts of the state simultaneously

Nurturing dreams to recapture Uttar Pradesh, where assembly polls are barely five months away, Congress on Saturday announced more sops, including waiving off loans of the farmers and providing government jobs to 20 lakh people in the state, if it formed the next government in UP.

Speaking after flagging off her party's 'Pratigya Yatra' at Barabanki, about 40 kilometres from here, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also promised to cut the power bills by half of every consumer while completely waiving off the power bills during the pandemic besides Rs 25 thousand cash to the poor families.

Also Read | Priyanka Gandhi's 40% gambit: A mere poll ploy or something more transformational?

Priyanka said that the procurement rates of paddy and wheat and sugarcane would also be increased if her party came to power after the next assembly polls, due in March 2022.

Earlier the Congress leader had announced 40 per cent reservation in the allocation of tickets in the forthcoming assembly polls in the state and promised smartphones and electric scooters to the girls.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: BJP leader advises women not to go to police stations after dark

''Our party is the well-wisher of the farmers....we understand their problems and will do whatever we can to help them.....this government is against the farmers....farmers were crushed to death in Lakhimpur Kheri...the government also delayed the arrest of the main accused,'' she said while speaking at the function.

Priyanka said that earlier also the UPA government had waived off the loans of the farmers to the tune of Rs. 72 thousand crore. ''We will do it again,'' she added. Priyanka, who was also the state party in-charge, said that farmers were being neglected by the government at the centre and in the state.

Also Read | Congress-RJD fissures bring Grand Alliance to brink of collapse in Bihar

She said that three 'pratigya yatras' were being taken out by the party from Saturday in different parts of the state simultaneously.

The Congress leader also met the women, who were working the fields, while on their way to Barabanki and had a taste of 'jalebi' (a sweet dish) with them. ''My brother told me that I was getting fat and advised me to eat less,'' she remarked when one of the women workers offered her 'parantha'.

Watch the latest DH Videos here: