New Delhi:

The Congress has released its manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha election, which promises jobs creation, development of infrastructure, and a national caste census among the major highlights.

The manifesto was released in Delhi by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, who was accompanied by senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram – who led the committee that drafted the document – was also present.

“This manifesto will be ‘nyay ka dastavez’ (a document for justice) in the political history of the country. From the five pillars of the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra’ – yuva (youth), kisan (farmers), naari (women), shramik (workers), and hissedari (equity), 25 guarantees will emerge” said Kharge.

“The overall theme of the manifesto is based on work, wealth and welfare” he added.

“Work means ymyi provide jobs. Wealth must be created before it is distributed. Welfare means taking care of the poorer sections” the Congress said.

One of the biggest talking points is the caste census in this menifesto- a political hot topic that has been in the headlines since the Bihar government’s statewide survey was released in November.

In its manifesto the Congress vowed to conduct a nationwide census to identify and enumerate castes, sub-castes and their socio-economic condition, and amend the Constitution to raise the 50 per cent cap on quota for marginalised groups – i.e., scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and other backward classes.

The party has also promised to implement MSP, or minimum support price, for farmer growing cash crops. The MSP issue has been at the heart of protests by farmers since 2020, when lakhs from across the country went on a months-long agitation against the centre’s (now-scrapped) three farm laws.

The Congress has said it will give a permanent legal guarantee for MSP – a core demand for protesting farmers – based on the formula recommended by the Swaminathan Commission.

“Congress termed the BJP’s response to the farmers protest as “callous and brutal”.

The party also promised to eliminate poverty by improving the fortunes of 23 crore people over the next decade. P. Chidambaram targeted the BJP as a government of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich and said it is driven by the interests of the top 1 per cent.

“It has been estimated that 23 crore people are still poor in this country. The UPA lifted 24 crore people out of poverty and we promise, if the Congress-led government comes to power in 2024, we will lift 23 crore in 10 years” he said

To empower women – the Congress said it would launch a ‘Mahalakshmi’ scheme to provide an unconditional cash transfer of Rs 1 lakh per year to the oldest female member of every poor family. Beneficiaries will be identified as those from the bottom level of the income pyramid.

Inequality of income and opportunity remain India’s ugliest truth. It is the moral and political responsibility of any government to ensure that every family is assured of a basic income every month, the party said.

The Congress said it “recognises that national security is not enhanced by chest-thumping or exaggerated claims, but by quiet attention to borders and resolute defence preparedness”.

The party said it would work to restore status quo on the country’s borders with China and ensure areas where both armies patrolled in the past are again accessible to our soldiers.

On diplomatic tension with Maldives, the Congress said it work to repair relations.

Universal free healthcare, including cost of diagnosis, surgery, and medication, will be made available, the party said. This will come with cashless insurance up to Rs 25 lakh, like the model implemented in Rajasthan, when the Congress was in power.

“We promise that healthcare will be universal and free in public health centres, such as hospitals, clinics, PHCs, MHCs, and dispensaries, as well as health camps. Free healthcare will include examination, diagnosis, treatment, surgery, medicines, rehabilitation, and palliative care” the party said.

The Congress said it would also establish Assisted Living and Care Centres for disabled people and provide representation for them in local bodies.

In a move likely to resonate strongly among unemployed youth struggling with massive loan debts, the party said it would as a one-time measure of relief, write off all student educational loans, including unpaid interest. This amount will be calculated as on March 15. Banks will be compensated by the government for this.

A law will be introduced to recognise civil unions between couples belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community, the party said in its menifesto.

The Congress said it would amend laws to combine the efficiency of EVM and transparency of ballot papers. Voting will be through the EVM but the voter will be able to hold and deposit the machine-generated voting slip into the voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) unit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP – which is yet to release its manifesto – are bidding for a third consecutive term.