Caste census, women’s quota, Agnipath scrapping on SP poll manifesto
While releasing the party manifesto, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav stressed on right to free education and quality health care, among other promises
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday (April 10) unveiled his party manifesto, evocatively titled 'Janta Ka Maang Patra – Humara Adhikar', for the Lok Sabha elections, promising a caste-based census by 2025 and scrapping the Agnipath scheme, at the SP headquarters in Lucknow in the presence of senior party leaders.
The 20-page document has called for a PDA government this time. PDA is an acronym for Pichde (backward classes), Dalit and Alpasankhyak (minorities) that was coined by Yadav.
The SP is a constituent of the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc.
Removal of poverty by 2029
Addressing a press conference here, Yadav said a caste census would be conducted after the formation of the INDIA bloc government at the Centre to fill all the vacant government posts of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes by 2025.
He said the Agnipath military recruitment scheme would be scrapped and regular recruitment in the armed forces would be introduced. The party also promised to restore the old pension scheme, ensure the participation of all sections of society in the private sector and completely eliminate poverty by 2029.
Legal guarantee on MSP
The manifesto includes giving a legal guarantee of minimum support price to the farmers, waiving off agricultural loans, providing free irrigation facilities, and formation of a Farmers' Commission. A promise has been made to provide a pension of Rs 5,000 per month to all landless small and marginal farmers.
Adopting a zero-tolerance policy towards crimes against women, along with a nationwide helpline, ensuring 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and Assemblies within two years of coming to power without waiting for delimitation, reserving 33 per cent government jobs for women were promised in the manifesto.
The SP said flour instead of wheat would be provided to the people as part of a free ration and mobile data worth Rs 500 would be given free to every ration card-holding family.
Right to free education affirmed
The right to free education, an increase in the budget for education from 3 per cent to 6 per cent of the GDP, a legal guarantee on the right to quality health for all and elimination of the digital divide would be ensured, the SP said.
The other promises made in the manifesto are to stop privatisation and retrenchment of central and state public sector units and to set up smart village clusters across the country to be operated through the Smart Village Cluster Development Authority.
The SP is contesting 62 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh as part of the alliance, while the Congress is contesting 17 seats. The Bhadohi Lok Sabha seat has been given to Trinamool Congress.
(With agency inputs)
