Table of Contents

Introduction .......................................................................................... 3
I. Equity ................................................................................................ 6
Social Justice........................................................................................................................ 6
Religious and Linguistic Minorities ..................................................................................... 7
Senior Citizens, Persons with Disabilities, and LGBTQIA+................................................. 8
Health ................................................................................................................................... 9
II. Youth ............................................................................................... 11
Jobs ...................................................................................................................................... 11
Education .............................................................................................................................. 12
Sports ................................................................................................................................... 14
III. Women ............................................................................................ 15
Mahalakshmi........................................................................................................................ 15
Women’s Empowerment...................................................................................................... 15
IV. Farmers ........................................................................................... 17
Fishing and Fishing Communities ...................................................................................... 19
V. Workers ............................................................................................ 20
VI. Defending the Constitution................................................................ 21
Saving Democracy, Removing Fear, Restoring Freedom .................................................... 21
Reversing the Damage ......................................................................................................... 22
Media .................................................................................................................................... 23
Judiciary ............................................................................................................................... 24
Anti-Corruption .................................................................................................................... 25
Art, Culture and Heritage ..................................................................................................... 26
VII. Economy ......................................................................................... 27
Our Economic Policy ............................................................................................................ 27
Unemployment – Meeting The Cry For Jobs ...................................................................... 30
Taxation and Tax Reforms ................................................................................................... 31
Industry ................................................................................................................................. 32
Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................ 33

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 Table of Contents
VIII. Federalism ..................................................................................... 35
Centre-State Relations ......................................................................................................... 35
Rural and Urban Development.............................................................................................. 36
North Eastern States ............................................................................................................ 37
IX. National Security .............................................................................. 38
Defence ................................................................................................................................. 38
Internal Security ................................................................................................................... 39
Foreign Policy ....................................................................................................................... 40
X. Environment ...................................................................................... 42
Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Management ................................................ 42
Water Management and Sanitation...................................................................................... 43
An Appeal .............................................................................................. 45
 Introduction
At every stage of its 138-year journey, the Indian National Congress had identified itself with the problems, develop-
ment, aspirations and hopes of all the people of India. During the freedom struggle, its foremost aim was to win
freedom. It was guided by the wisdom and sacrifice of great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi. After independence, the
Congress’ article of faith was the Constitution of India of which Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was the prime architect.

We reiterate that the

Constitution of India
shall remain our sole
guide and companion
in our never-ending
journey.

Since 1947, the Congress has been India’s beacon of hope. Our policies brought about rapid industrialisation in a
predominantly agrarian economy, transformed India from a famine-struck country to one that exports food grains to
countries around the world, laid the scientific and technical foundations for India’s rise as a global software
powerhouse, and built world class institutions in research and higher education whose graduates are seen as at par
with the world’s best. Even as liberalisation and reforms caused economic growth to boom under successive
Congress governments, our social welfare policies ensured that every citizen was able to participate in the India
story. The social welfare net created by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) such as the Mahatma Gandhi National
Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and the National Food Security Act ensured that India was able to
absorb the shocks of the Global Financial Crisis (2008), the Taper Tantrum (2013), demonetisation (2016) and
COVID-19 (2020).

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Five years ago, on the eve of the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress had published a 54-page manifesto. Based on the
record of the first term of the Modi government, we had forewarned the people of the precarious state of our polity
and economy, and of the danger of re-electing the BJP/NDA government. Our assessment of the situation in the
country has, alas, proved true. Many of the weaknesses and woes have deepened in the last five years. The promises
and assurances that the Congress gave in its 2019 manifesto remain valid and doubly relevant today. Hence, we will
start with endorsing our 2019 manifesto and urge you to read the statements here as part of this manifesto.

We may recall our forewarning

• We had said, “Youth have lost jobs”. The unemployment rate is 8

percent; among graduates the unemployment rate is over 40%.
• We had said, “Farmers have lost hope”. Farmers had to come on to
the streets for 16 months to fight the three farm laws that would have
made them tenant-farmers of corporate houses; and the farmers are
back on the streets again.
• We had said, “Traders have lost business”. The Goods and Services
Tax (GST) laws have squeezed exorbitant tax revenues out of lakhs of
traders and constrained free trade.
• We had said, “Micro, small and medium enterprises have lost their
confidence”. Lakhs of MSMEs have shut down and are no longer
creators of jobs
• We had said, “Women have lost a sense of security”. Crimes against
women have increased by 31 per cent between 2014 and 2022.
• We had said “Deprived communities have lost their economic
rights”. Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other
Backward Classes (OBC) communities have been deprived of jobs
because of the unfilled vacancies in government and other public
institutions. Tribal people have been denied their rights under the
Forest Rights Act.
• We had said, “Institutions have lost independence”. Every institution,
including Constitutional bodies, has been undermined and, in some
cases, forced to become subservient to the government.

Our greatest concern was the prevailing ‘climate of fear, intimidation and hatred’. In the last five years, every section
of the people has lived in fear; laws and investigating agencies have been weaponised to intimidate people; and
through its words and actions the BJP and its affiliates have spread hatred among people belonging to different
religious, language and caste groups.

Today, the dangers that we had warned against have become a hard reality.

The economy is in a crisis. Despite the claim that India is the fastest growing large economy in the world, our growth
rate has fallen from an average of 6.7 per cent (new series) during the UPA period of 2004-14 to an average of 5.9 per
cent during 2014-24. As against the goal of doubling the economy (which the UPA did achieve), India’s GDP in real
terms will rise from 100 lakh crore in 2013-14 to only 173 lakh crore in 2023-24, far short of the target.

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The decline in the growth rate has serious consequences for the people, especially for those who belong to the
poor and middle classes. The impact has fallen on per capita income, consumption of goods and services, and
standard of living. Household net assets have declined, household liabilities have increased and families have
borrowed more.

Inequality between the rich on the one hand and the poor and middle classes on the other have increased
sharply dealing a body blow to the goals of equality, equity, and social and economic justice. A report titled
“Income and Wealth Inequality in India, 1922-2023: The Rise of the Billionaire Raj” by leading global economists,
including Thomas Piketty, shows that India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is more unequal than even
under the British Raj. The share of national income earned by India’s top 1 per cent is today at its highest
historical levels and is among the highest globally. The rise of inequality has been particularly pronounced
between 2014 and 2023.

The numbers of registered and active workers under MGNREGA and the fact that 80 crore people depend on
free grain (5 kg per person per month) are definite indicators of widespread poverty. On the Global Hunger
Index, India’s rank is 111 out of 125 countries.

The gravest danger is that India may no longer be a truly free and democratic republic. Democracy in India has
been hollowed out and we are rapidly sliding to become a one-party and one-person dictatorship. The federal
structure is under attack with the central government appropriating most of the central revenues, passing laws
on subjects that were hitherto left to the state governments, and using its financial and executive powers to
reduce states to municipalities. Governors of non-BJP-governed states are encouraged to paralyse the working
of elected governments. Laws and investigating agencies are used to foist false cases against non-BJP leaders
to force them to submit to the BJP’s will. The media has been rewarded or intimidated to become a vehicle of
propaganda of the government.

Ask yourself two questions:

(1) Is your life better today than what it was in 2014?
(2) Is your mind without fear as dreamed by Rabindranath Tagore?

The choice is not Congress or BJP, but it is more than that. The choice is

Democratic government or Authoritarian rule

Freedom or Fear
Prosperity for All or Wealth for a Few
Justice or Injustice.

The 2024 general election presents an opportunity for radically changing the style and substance of gover-
nance that has been in evidence in the past decade of Anyay Kaal. We appeal to you to look beyond religion,
language and caste, choose wisely, and install a democratic government that will work for all the people of
India. We appeal to you to vote for the INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS.

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 EQUITY
Social Justice
Congress has been the most vocal and active champion of the progress of the backward and oppressed classes and
castes over the last seven decades. However, caste discrimination is still a reality. The people belonging to the SC, ST
and OBC communities have not yet been able to catch up with the rest and are still left behind. While OBC, SC and ST
constitute nearly 70 per cent of India’s population, their representation in high-ranking professions, services and
businesses is disproportionately low. No progressive modern society should tolerate such inequality or discrimina-
tion based on ancestry and the consequent denial of equal opportunity. Congress will bridge historical inequities by
implementing the following programme.

1.Congress will conduct a nation-wide Socio-Economic 6. We will enhance institutional credit to SC and ST for
and Caste Census to enumerate the castes and home-building, starting businesses and purchasing
sub-castes and their socio-economic conditions. assets.
Based on the data, we will strengthen the agenda for
affirmative action. 7. Congress will establish an authority to monitor the
distribution to the poor of government land and surplus
2. The Congress guarantees that it will pass a land under the land ceiling Acts.
constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap
on reservations for SC, ST and OBC. 8. The scope of the Public Procurement Policy will be
expanded to award more public works contracts to
3. The reservation of 10 per cent in jobs and educational contractors belonging to the SC and ST communities.
institutions for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)
will be implemented for all castes and communities 9. Funds for scholarships for OBC, SC and ST students
without discrimination. will be doubled, especially for higher education. We will
aid SC and ST students to study abroad; and will
4. We will fill all the backlog vacancies in posts reserved double the number of scholarships for them to pursue
for SC, ST and OBC within a period of one year. a Ph.D.

5. Congress will abolish the contractualisation of 10. Congress will establish a network of residential
regular jobs in the government and public sector schools for the poor, especially SC and ST students,
enterprises and ensure regularisation of such and extend them to every block.
appointments.
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11. We will include in the curriculum of schools the life 16. The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes
and work of social reformers to spread the message of (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 will be enforced
social justice. diligently. A helpline will be established in every State’s
capital and legal aid and paralegal support will be
12. We will establish Ambedkar Bhavans-cum-Libraries provided to the victims of such atrocities.
in every district to promote the habit of reading and
discussion. 17. Congress is committed to notify as ‘Scheduled
Area’ all habitations or groups of habitations where ST
13. We will enact a law with reference to Article 15(5) of are the largest social group outside the present Sched-
the Constitution to provide for reservation in private uled Areas in all States and Union Territories.
educational institutions for SC, ST and OBC.
18. A national mission will be set up for effective
14. We will pass a law authorising allocation of resourc- implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 through
es for the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan and Tribal Sub Plan a dedicated FRA division, a separate budget and action
within the annual budget and monitoring the execution plans.
of the plans.
19. The Congress will ensure settlement of all pending
15. Congress will end the evil of manual scavenging. FRA claims within 1 year and establish a process for
Every manual scavenger will be rehabilitated, re-skilled, review of all rejected claims within 6 months.
provided a job and assured a life of dignity and safety.
The Prohibition of Manual Scavenging Act, 2013, will be 20. Congress is committed to ensure that states enact
strictly implemented and any person employing anyone laws in conformity with the framework of the central
for manual scavenging shall be punished. We will Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996
provide compensation of 30 lakh to families of sanita- (PESA) to establish 'Village Council’ and 'Autonomous
tion workers (safai karamcharis) deceased while at District Council’ as envisaged in PESA.
work. We will allocate sufficient funds to enable the
procurement of machines that will clean sewers and 21. We will enact the Rohith Vemula Act to address
septic tanks, and remove human waste. Free insurance discrimination faced by students belonging to the
will be provided to all sanitation workers. backward and oppressed communities in educational
institutions.

22. We will implement the recommendations of the

Renke Commission. We will provide free education for
children belonging to the Nomadic Tribes and De-noti-
RELIGIOUS AND fied Tribes.

LINGUISTIC 23. Congress will establish a Diversity Commission

that will measure, monitor and promote diversity in

MINORITIES
public and private employment and education.

The plurality of religions represents the history of

India. History cannot be altered. All people living in
India and all children born in India are equally
entitled to enjoy human rights that includes the
right to practise one’s religion. Pluralism and
diversity constitute the ethos of India and are
enshrined in the Preamble to the Constitution of
India. Given the history and the democratic
traditions of India, the Congress believes that
there is no place for authoritarianism or majoritari-
anism.

Linguistic and religious minorities are granted

human and civic rights under the Constitution of
India. Congress pledges to uphold and protect
these rights.

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1.We will respect and uphold the fundamental right to 6. We will ensure that the minorities receive their fair
practice one’s faith and the rights guaranteed to share of opportunities in education, healthcare, public
religious minorities under Articles 15, 16, 25, 26, 28, 29 employment, public works contracts, skill development,
and 30 of the Constitution. sports and cultural activities without discrimination.

2. We will also respect and uphold the rights of linguis- 7. Congress will ensure that, like every citizen, minori-
tic minorities guaranteed under Articles 15, 16, 29 and ties have the freedom of choice of dress, food,
30 of the Constitution. language and personal laws.

3. We will encourage and assist students and youth 8. We will encourage reform of personal laws. Such
belonging to the minorities to take full advantage of the reform must be undertaken with the participation and
growing opportunities in education, employment, consent of the communities concerned.
business, services, sports, arts and other fields.
9. Congress promises to meet long standing demands
4. We will restore the Maulana Azad Scholarships for for inclusion of more languages in the Eighth Schedule
study abroad and increase the number of scholarships. of the Constitution.

5. The economic empowerment of minorities is a

necessary step for India to realise its full potential. We
will ensure that banks will provide institutional credit to
minorities without discrimination.

SENIOR CITIZENS, PERSONS

WITH DISABILITIES, AND LGBTQIA+

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1. The central government’s contribution to pensions for 6. We will recognise the Braille script and Sign
senior citizens, widows and persons with disabilities Language as languages.
under the National Social Assistance Programme
remains a pitiful 200 - 500 per month. Congress will 7. We will establish a National Centre of Research and
raise this amount to 1,000 per month. Excellence for Special Education to ensure that quality
education is imparted to children with special needs
2. We will take measures to ensure easy access to legal and children with disabilities.
services for senior citizens especially in cases of
neglect, abuse, abandonment, eviction and financial 8. As was done in Chhattisgarh, Congress will provide
fraud. representation for persons with disabilities in local
government bodies.
3. Congress will review the Maintenance and Welfare of
Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, remove the 9. We will strictly enforce the Rights of Persons with
deficiencies and enforce the Act. Disabilities Act, 2016.

4. We will restore travel concessions in public transport 10. We will implement a scheme to establish Assisted
(rail and road) for senior citizens. Living and Care Centres for the disabled in public-pri-
vate partnership throughout the country.
5. We will expand Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution
to prohibit discrimination on the ground of ‘disability’, 11. After wide consultation, Congress will bring a law
‘impairment’ or ‘sexual orientation’. to recognize civil unions between couples belonging to
the LGBTQIA+ community.

HEALTH
Congress was the first political
party to acknowledge that health
of the people and healthcare are
the responsibility of the govern-
ment. Congress introduced the
first healthcare scheme in India
and firmly believes that all
citizens have the Right to Health.

1. We promise that healthcare will be universal and free 2. The Rajasthan Model of cashless insurance up to
in public health centres such as hospitals, clinics, 25 lakhs will be adopted for universal healthcare.
primary health centres, mobile healthcare units, dispen-
saries and health camps. Free healthcare will include 3. Primary Health Centres (PHC) will be upgraded
examination, diagnostics, treatment, surgery, medicines, according to Indian Public Health Standards norms,
rehabilitation and palliative care. and diagnostics will be added in each PHC.

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4. We will encourage the introduction of health 12. The National Medical Commission Act shall be
insurance schemes in the private sector and public reviewed, and the anomalies and deficiencies removed.
sector. The current universal healthcare programme will NMC shall enjoy full autonomy to carry out the obliga-
be redesigned for different sections of the people and tions under the Act.
will allow enlistment of private hospitals, non-profit
health facilities and health centres under the schemes. 13. A second ASHA will be appointed in villages with a
population of over 2,500.
5. Maternity benefits will be available to all women. All
employers shall mandatorily grant paid maternity leave 14. All systems of medicine will be supported by the
for their employees. government.

6. Budget allocation for Health will be increased step by 15. All manufacturers of medicines will be under strict
step every year to achieve 4 per cent of total scrutiny for maintaining quality and following good
expenditure by 2028-29. manufacturing practices.

7. Congress will double the hardship allowance of 16. The number of central government dispensaries
doctors serving in rural areas, and provide suitable will be rapidly expanded. All central government
residence facilities. dispensaries will dispense brand and generic medi-
cines of good quality at reasonable prices.
8. The contribution of the Central government to the pay
of frontline health workers (such as ASHA, 17. A National Mission on Immunisation will be taken
Anganwadi, Mid-Day Meal cooks, etc.) will be doubled. up. Only 76 per cent of Indian children receive full
immunisation. Congress will ensure full immunisation
9. We will establish one government medical of 100 per cent of children within 5 years.
college-cum-hospital in each district.
18. Nutritional deficiency among children will be
10. All vacancies in medical and paramedical posts in addressed to rapidly reduce the incidents of stunting
public health institutions and all vacancies in medical and wasting. We will expand the mid-day meal scheme
colleges will be filled in three years. up to Class XII.

11. No hospital or medical college shall be permitted to 19. Congress will pass a law making it an offence to
be opened or allowed to function unless 75 per cent of commit acts of violence against doctors and other
the medical, paramedical and teaching posts are filled. health professionals while performing their duties.

10
 YOUTH
Jobs
“The future lies in the youth of today” is particularly relevant for a young nation like India with a median age of just
28 years. The youth of India face joblessness as well as hopelessness. The root cause is massive unemployment
that has got worse every year under the BJP/NDA government. Congress will tackle this issue on a war footing with
a clear Yuva Nyay programme.

1. Congress guarantees a new Right to Apprenticeship 5. Government will give a one-time relief to applicants
Act to provide a one year apprenticeship with a private who were unable to write the qualifying public exam-
or a public sector company to every diploma holder or inations during 1 April 2020 to 30 June 2021 due to the
college graduate below the age of 25. Apprentices will pandemic.
get 1 lakh a year. The apprenticeship will impart skills,
enhance employability and provide full-time job opportu- 6. We will abolish application fees for government
nities for millions of youth. examinations and government posts.

2. We will provide fast-track courts to adjudicate cases 7. Due to widespread unemployment, as a one-time
of leaking question papers for job examinations and measure of relief, the amount due including unpaid
provide monetary compensation to the victims. interest as on 15 March 2024 in respect of all student
educational loans will be written off and the banks will
3. We will fill the nearly 30 lakh vacancies in sanctioned be compensated by the government.
posts at various levels in the central government. We
will stipulate that vacancies in the 8. Congress will provide sports scholarships of
panchayats and municipal bodies shall be filled accord- 10,000 per month for talented and budding sportsper-
ing to a timetable agreed with state governments. sons below the age of 21.

4. Congress will restructure the Fund of Funds Scheme

for start-ups and allocate 50 per cent of the available
fund, as far as possible equally among all districts, for
providing funds to youth below 40 years of age to start
their own businesses and generate employment.

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 EDUCATION
Education is a public good and every
student has the right to free, quality
education provided by the state. Schools,
colleges and universities should be
predominantly public institutions funded
by public resources. We recognise that
private educational institutions play an
important supplementary role.

1. Congress brought in the Right to Education (RTE) Act 7. School and college syllabuses will emphasise the
in 2009 that transformed education for children study of STEM subjects in order to develop a scientific
between the ages of 6 and 14. We will amend the RTE temper.
Act to make education from Class I to Class XII in public
schools compulsory and free. 8. We will discourage the use of teachers for
non-teaching activities.
2. The New Education Policy (NEP) announced by the
BJP/NDA government has been opposed by education- 9. We will discourage the appointment of contractual
ists and several state governments. Education is a teachers in regular vacancies and ensure that such
concurrent subject and the rights of states to formulate appointments are regularised.
an education policy must be respected. Hence, we will
revisit and amend the NEP in consultation with the state 10. We will accelerate the integration of pre-primary
governments. and primary education to ensure that all children
receive at least two years of pre-school education.
3. We will end the practice of charging special fees for
different purposes in public schools. 11. Annual surveys have revealed the huge gaps in
learning outcomes in school education. We shall take
4. For greater equity, affordability and transparency in urgent measures to address these deficiencies and
school fees charged by private schools, we will encour- ensure wholesome learning outcomes within a period
age state governments to establish fee regulation of 5 years.
committees.
12. Congress will increase the number of Kendriya
5. The quality of teaching is the most important deter- Vidyalayas, Navodya Vidyalayas and Kasturba Gandhi
minant of educational outcomes. Congress will work Balika Vidyalayas in consultation with the State
with states to ensure that every class and every subject Governments.
has a dedicated teacher. Each class must have a
dedicated classroom. 13. We will restore the autonomy of colleges and
universities. Higher educational institutions will have
6. Foundational learning emphasising literacy, numera- academic freedom and will be encouraged to experi-
cy, foundational science and Constitutional values in ment, innovate and promote research. We will protect
schools is an important requirement for all children. and preserve students’ freedom of speech and expres-
Congress will expand the budget for and scale up sion and the right to have elected student unions.
government programmes for foundational learning.

12
14. To reduce dropout rates, we will ensure that pre-ma- 20. We will fill all teaching and non-teaching vacancies
tric and higher education scholarships for disadvan- in central universities and other central educational
taged groups including SC, ST, OBC, EWS, denotified institutions.
tribes and minorities are restored, increased and fully
funded. 21. National accreditation bodies will be strengthened
and higher educational institutions will be accredited
15. We will ensure that all central textbooks promote a based on stringent quality norms.
scientific temper and are aligned with India’s
constitutional values as contained in the Preamble and 22. Online courses and digital learning have gained
other provisions of the Constitution of India. Textbook importance. We will ensure that all students of classes
revisions will not be done arbitrarily or driven by political IX to XII have mobile phones to ensure equitable
motives. access to learning. We will provide free and unlimited
Internet on college and school campuses to increase
16. We will assist state governments to establish one accessibility and connectivity.
Government Community College in every tehsil/taluk for
students completing Class XII. These community 23. We will ensure that all coaching centres and
colleges will offer a broad range of degrees/diplomas EdTech companies meet stringent quality standards.
suitable for jobs in the service industry (e.g. hospitality,
tourism, digital marketing, paramedical, paralegal, etc.) 24. We will ensure that all higher educational institu-
and for jobs in the manufacturing industry that require tions — central, state and private — meet the
basic technical skills. prescribed standards for admitting students. We will
revisit the policy of centrally-conducted qualifying
17. Congress will revive the Education Loan programme examinations such as NEET, CUET, etc. and make it
to college students implemented under the UPA govern- optional for state governments to adopt these exam-
ment and instruct banks to extend collateral-free inations for admissions or conduct their own examina-
education loans up to 7.5 lakhs especially to students tions meeting the prescribed standards to state-funded
belonging to the SC, ST, OBC, EWS and minorities. and state-approved higher educational institutions.

18. Due to widespread unemployment, as a one-time 25. We will assist state governments to establish
measure of relief, the amount due including unpaid state-of-the-art Internet-enabled public libraries in
interest as on 15 March 2024 in respect of all student state, district and taluk headquarters.
educational loans will be written off and the banks will
be compensated by the government.

19. Congress will ensure that serving teachers are

represented in the governing bodies of colleges and
universities.

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 SPORTS
No government in India’s independent history
has politicised sports as much as the present
BJP/NDA government. From scheduling World
Cup games in select venues for overt political
purposes to turning a blind eye to harassment
of India’s Olympians by politically-aligned
persons in sports bodies, Indian sports is
arguably going through its worst phase.
Congress believes that Indian sport will soar
only when the autonomy of sports bodies is
restored, political bias is removed, and the
government is a strong and neutral supporting
force for sports development.

1. Congress will take suitable measures to ensure that

the constitution of each sports body is in accordance
with certain norms and principles, that elections are
held according to the constitution of that body and the
recommendations of the Justice Lodha Committee, and
that there is adequate representation in each sports
body for active players, former players and women.

2. Congress will enact a separate legislation for the

registration of sports federations/bodies/associations
which will ensure full compliance with the Olympic
Charter, allow for autonomy and full accountability, and
provide recourse for members and sportspersons
against discrimination, bias, sexual harassment, abuse, 6. In order to encourage talented youth to pursue
wrongful termination, etc. sports as a profession without fear of their future,
Congress will introduce a “Sporting Heroes Job Guar-
3. Congress will provide sports scholarships of 10,000 antee” programme to assure every sportsperson who
per month to talented and budding sports persons has represented India at the international level or the
below the age of 21. national level a good quality job after the end of the
sportsperson’s sporting career.
4. Congress will ensure that there is at least one
community sports centre in every block and municipal 7. We will allocate sufficient funds to promote sports
town and at least one multi-sport coaching centre in among girls and women, persons with disabilities, and
every district. disadvantaged groups such as ST.

5. We will establish a National Sports Science Institute

to promote research and development in sports scienc-
es and training.

14
 WOMEN
Mahalakshmi
Inequality of income and opportunity remains India’s ugliest truth. It is the moral and political responsibility of any
government to ensure that every Indian family is assured of a basic income every month.

1. Congress resolves to launch a Mahalakshmi scheme Absent a woman, it will be transferred to the account of
to provide 1 lakh per year to every poor Indian family the oldest member of the family.
as an unconditional cash transfer. The poor will be
identified among the families in the bottom of the 3. The scheme will be rolled out in stages and reviewed
income pyramid. every year to assess the number of
beneficiary families and its impact on alleviating
2. The amount will be directly transferred to the bank poverty.
account of the oldest woman of the household.

WOMEN ‘S
EMPOWERMENT
Historically, women have been
discriminated against and put at great
disadvantage.
Congress pledges to remove the discrimi-
nation against women and uphold and
advance the rights of women.

15
1. The Constitution (106th) Amendment Act marks the 11. We will ensure that laws intended to prevent
BJP’s great betrayal of women. The Amendment Act offences against women such as the Sexual Harass-
contains sinister provisions that will allow the reserva- ment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition
tion of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies to and Redressal) Act, 2013 and the Protection of Women
come into operation only beyond 2029. Congress will from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 are strictly enforced.
delete the sinister provisions and bring the Amendment
Act into force immediately. The one-third reservation for 12. The government will fund state governments to
women will be applied to State Assemblies that will be build sufficient night shelters for migrant women
elected in the next round of Assembly elections in 2025. workers and adequate number of safe and hygienic
The one-third reservation for women will also be applied public toilets for women will be provided in towns and
to the Lok Sabha that will be elected in 2029. cities. Free napkin vending machines will be installed in
public spaces, schools and colleges.
2. We will reserve one-half (50 per cent) of central
government jobs for women starting in 2025. 13. In partnership with the State governments, the
Central Government will double the number of working
3. We will ensure that more women are appointed to women hostels in the country, with at least one Savit-
high positions such as judges, secretaries to govern- ribai Phule Hostel in each district.
ment, high ranking police officers, law officers and
directors on the boards of listed companies. 14. We will appoint an Adhikar Maitri in every Pancha-
yats to serve as a paralegal to educate women and
4. All laws will be scrutinised for gender discrimination assist them in the enforcement of their legal rights.
and gender bias. The offending provisions will be
removed or amended in the first year of the Congress
government.

5. We will ensure that the principle of ‘Same Work, Same

Wages’ is enforced in order to prevent discrimination in
wages for women.

6. The contribution of the Central government to the pay

of frontline health workers (such as ASHA, Anganwadi,
Mid-Day Meal cooks, etc.) will be doubled.

7. We will substantially increase the amount of institu-

tional credit that is extended to women. In particular, we
will vastly enhance the credit extended to Self Help
Groups by banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies
and Micro Finance Institutions.

8. The Labour Force Participation Rate of women is

an abysmal 25 per cent. We will embark on a massive
exercise to expand women’s participation in the work-
force through measures such as fair and equal wages;
safe places of work; childcare services; preventing
sexual harassment and violence; and extending materni-
ty benefits.

9. We will re-incorporate the Bhartiya Mahila Bank

(Women’s Bank) that had made a promising start under
an all-Women Board of Directors but was wound up by
the patriarchal BJP/NDA government.

10. In matters of marriage, succession, inheritance,

adoption, guardianship, etc., women and men should
have equal rights. We will review all the laws and ensure
equality between men and women.

16
 FARMERS
The farmers’ agitations ring the alarm bells to the deep crisis in the agriculture sector.

The BJP/NDA government’s response has been callous and brutal. Farmers do not get fair and remunerative prices
for their produce; nor do the producers have adequate avenues to market their produce. Export controls have debili-
tated farmers. The plight of farm labourers is worse; the work available is irregular and the wages have stagnated for
nearly four years.

Agriculture
Congress is the only party that has lent its ear to the distress call of the farmers and farm labour and we are
determined to do everything possible to alleviate their pain and make agriculture a desirable livelihood.

1. Congress will give a legal guarantee to the Minimum 4. We will appoint a Permanent Commission on
Support Prices (MSP) announced by the government Agricultural Finance that will report periodically on the
every year, as recommended by the Swaminathan extent of agricultural credit and the need for loan
Commission. forbearance.

2. The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices 5. Crop insurance will be made farm and farmer
(CACP) will be made a statutory body. specific. Premium will be charged from the farmer
according to the sum insured and all claims will be
3. MSP payable to the farmer-seller at the procurement settled within 30 days.
centres and APMCs will be directly credited digitally to
the bank account of the farmer.

17
6. In consultation with farmers’ organizations, we will
make available to farmers three avenues for sale of
agricultural produce:
(a). Regulated Market under the prevailing APMC Act.

(b). E-market that will be operated by an autonomous

body with representation of farmers’ organizations,
Farmer-Producer Organizations (FPOs) and individual
progressive farmers.

(c). Freedom to the farmer to sell agricultural produce

at the farm-gate or at any other place of choice with an
option to upload the sale-and-purchase agreement on a
digital ledger.

7. We will establish farmers’ retail markets in large

villages and small towns to enable the farmers to bring
their produce and sell the same to consumers.

8. Congress will formulate and implement a sound

import-export policy for agricultural commodities, which
will give paramount importance to protecting the
interests and concerns of farmers.

9. We will revive the system of Agricultural Extension

Services to disseminate the best knowledge and best
practices to every agricultural holding. We will increase
the number of Krishi Vigyan Kendras and appoint more
scientists to each Kendra.

10. We will launch a major programme to install solar

panels connected to tube wells to generate energy.

11. Congress will implement a major initiative to

promote horticulture, pisciculture and sericulture, and
encourage farmers to diversify into these activities and
increase their income.

12. We will double the value of the output in dairying

and poultry in five years.

13. In co-ordination with state governments, we will

ensure that one agricultural college and one veterinary
college is established in every district of the country.

14. We will double the funding for R&D in agriculture in

five years.

18
 FISHERIES AND
FISHING
COMMUNITIES

1. We will restore the subsidy for diesel for sea-going 8. Fishing harbours will be developed along the coast
fishing communities. line for the use of the fishing community.

2. We commit to expeditious search for fisherfolk 9. We will create cooperative banks for fishing
missing at sea. If presumed dead, death certificates will communities.
be issued within 3 months.
10. Congress will establish mechanisms with neigh-
3. We will direct insurance companies to provide bouring countries to resolve the problems faced by
insurance cover for sea-going fishing boats. fishing communities, to eliminate conflict, arrests,
seizure of boats and loss of lives, and to improve
4. Fishing communities will be issued credit cards (like livelihood opportunities for our fishing communities.
Kisan Credit Cards) by banks and extended credit.

5. Fishing communities will be enumerated in the caste

census and given identity cards by the Central Govern-
ment.

6. Inland fishing and aquaculture will be recognized as

‘agriculture’.

7. Congress will promote phytosanitary standards and

the exports of marine products that meet such
standards.

19
 WORKERS
1. We will introduce reforms in industrial and labour 8. The list of ration card holders will be updated in all
laws to restore the balance between labour and capital States immediately and it will be ensured that all ration
to meet our twin goals of full employment and high card holders, including migrant workers, get their
productivity gains. rations regularly.

2. We will address the issues of gender discrimination 9. We will expand the PDS coverage based on updated
and gender inequality in workplaces and in accessing population figures (pending the Census). PDS will
economic opportunities. include pulses (dal) and cooking oil.

3. We will ensure that the principle of ‘Same Work, Same 10. Sufficient funds will be allocated to PDS, ICDS and
Wages’ is enforced in order to prevent discrimination in the Mid-day Meal Scheme to fulfil the mandate of the
wages for women. National Food Security Act, 2013.

4. We will increase the wage under MGNREGA to 400 11. We will collaborate with the state governments to
per day. MGNREGA funds and workers may also be open Indira Canteens that will offer subsidised meals
deployed to build public assets such as classrooms, as has been done in Karnataka and Rajasthan.
libraries and primary health centres.
12. Appoint a second ASHA worker in all villages with a
5. We will launch an urban employment programme population exceeding 2,500 persons.
guaranteeing work for the urban poor in reconstruction
and renewal of urban infrastructure. 13. Double the number of Anganwadi workers and
create an additional 14 lakh jobs.
6. We will make a law to specify and protect the rights
of gig workers and unorganised workers and enhance 14. The Congress guarantees a national minimum
their social security. [EKIEXƟTIVHE]

7. We will propose laws to regulate the employment of

domestic help and migrant workers, and ensure their
basic legal rights.

20
 DEFENDING THE
CONSTITUTION

Saving Democracy, Removing Fear, Restoring Freedom

India’s democracy has been reduced to an empty shell. Every institution, including Parliament, is perceived to have
lost its independence and become subservient to the executive government. It is common knowledge that it is the
will of one person that prevails in the country. People’s trust in democratic institutions will be restored.

1.We promise you freedom from fear. 7. We promise to uphold the people’s right to assemble
peacefully and to form associations.
2. We promise to restore freedom of speech and
expression including full freedom of the media. 8. We promise not to interfere with personal choices of
food and dress, to love and marry, and to travel and
3. We promise to de-criminalise the offence of defama- reside in any part of India. All laws and rules that
tion and provide, by law, a speedy remedy by way of civil interfere unreasonably with personal freedoms will be
damages. repealed.

4. We promise to end the arbitrary and indiscriminate 9. We promise that the two Houses of Parliament will
suspension of the Internet. each meet for 100 days in a year and the great
traditions of Parliament that prevailed in the past will
5. We will review the Telecommunications Act, 2023 and be revived and scrupulously observed. We promise that
remove the provisions that restrict freedom of speech one day in a week will be devoted to discuss the
and expression and that violate the right to privacy. agenda suggested by the opposition benches in each
House. We promise that the presiding officers of the
6. We promise to review all laws that interfere with the two Houses will be required to sever their connection
right to privacy and make suitable amendments to with any political party, remain neutral, and observe the
various laws to uphold the right to privacy. age-old norm that the ‘Speaker does not speak’.

21
10. We reject the ‘one nation one election’ idea and we 14. We promise to restore the Planning Commission

SAMVIDHANIK NYAY
promise that elections to the Lok Sabha and the State and define its role and responsibilities that will include
Assemblies will be held as and when they are due in formulating medium and long-term perspective plans
accordance with the Constitution and the traditions of a to meet the needs of the Nav Sankalp Economic Policy
parliamentary democracy. described in Chapter VII.

11. We promise to restore the voters’ trust in the 15. We promise to ensure that the police, investigation
election process. We will amend the election laws to and intelligence agencies will function strictly in
combine the efficiency of the electronic voting machine accordance with law. They will be brought under the
(EVM) and the transparency of the ballot paper. Voting oversight of Parliament or the state legislatures, as the
will be through the EVM but the voter will be able to hold case may be.
and deposit the machine-generated voting slip into the
voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) unit. The 16. We promise to put an end to the weaponisation of
electronic vote tally will be matched against the VVPAT laws, arbitrary searches, seizures and attachments,
slip tally. arbitrary and indiscriminate arrests, third-degree
methods, prolonged custody, custodial deaths, and
12. We promise to strengthen the autonomy of the bulldozer justice.
Election Commission of India, the Central Information
Commission, the Human Rights Commission, the office 17. We promise to enact a law on bail that will incorpo-
of the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Commis- rate the principle that ‘bail is the rule, jail is the excep-
sions for SC, ST, minorities and OBC, and other constitu- tion’ in all criminal laws.
tional bodies.
18. We will introduce comprehensive prison reform to
13. We promise to amend the Tenth Schedule of the transform jails into institutions of rehabilitation, reform
Constitution and make defection (leaving the original and correction.
party on which the MLA or MP was elected) an automat-
ic disqualification of the membership in the Assembly
or Parliament.

REVERSING
THE DAMAGE
In the last 10 years tremendous damage was done
by the BJP/NDA by misusing the brute majority
enjoyed by it in Parliament to make laws that
violated the letter and spirit of the Constitution of
India as well as the fundamental principles of
law-making, namely, necessity, consultation,
reasonableness and proportionality.

We promise that all anti-people laws passed by the

BJP/NDA without proper parliamentary scrutiny
and debate, especially those relating to workers,
farmers, criminal justice, environment & forests
and digital data protection, will be thoroughly
reviewed and changed.

We will carry out complete investigations of the

Electoral Bonds Scam, the reckless sale of public
assets, the PM CARES scam, repeated intelligence
failures at the highest levels and corruption in
major defence deals.

22
 MEDIA
In the last ten years, significant sections
of the media have been robbed of, or
surrendered, their freedom. Congress will
help the media re-discover the freedom
that they enjoy under the Constitution.

1. Congress has always believed that self-regulation is 5. All media houses, irrespective of the size, will be
the best way to correct the misuse of the media. required to disclose their ownership structures (direct
Congress will amend the Press Council of India Act, and indirect), cross holdings, revenue streams, etc.
1978 to strengthen the system of self-regulation, protect through their websites.
journalistic freedoms, uphold editorial independence
and guard against government interference. 6. Congress will pass a law to preserve the freedom of
the Internet and to prevent arbitrary and frequent
2. Congress will amend the Press Council of India Act, shutdowns of the Internet.
1978 to empower the Council to deal with the menace
of fake news and paid news. 7. Many new laws (e.g. the Broadcasting Services
(Regulation) Bill, 2023; Digital Personal Data Protection
3. Congress will defend independent journalism by Act, 2023; Press and Registration of Periodicals Act,
enacting laws to protect journalists from coercive action 2023, etc.) give unbridled powers of censorship to the
by the State. This includes restricting the powers of the government. The first named Bill will be withdrawn. The
government for surveillance of journalists, seizure of restrictive provisions of the two Acts will be amended
their devices and exposure of their sources. or deleted to eliminate backdoor censorship.

4. Congress will pass a law to curb monopolies in the 8. Congress will amend the Cinematograph Act, 1952
media, cross-ownership of different segments of the to provide that the Central Board of Film Certification
media, and control of the media by business organisa- grants graded certificates to according to transparent
tions. Congress will refer cases of suspected monopo- and reasonable criteria.
lies to the Competition Commission of India.

23
 JUDICIARY
Thanks to the misgovernance, weaponisation of
the laws, misuse of investigating agencies and
abuse of executive powers by the BJP/NDA
government in the last 10 years, the people have
come to look upon the judiciary as the last
bastion against anti-democratic actions and
authoritarianism. An independent judiciary alone
can uphold the Constitution of India.

1. The independence and quality of the judiciary is 4. We will allocate sufficient funds for augmenting the
reflected in the independence and quality of the judges. physical and technical infrastructure of the judiciary
Congress will unswervingly uphold the independence of and for the modernisation and maintenance of the
the judiciary. In consultation with the Supreme Court infrastructure.
and the Chief Justices of the High Courts, Congress will
establish a National Judicial Commission (NJC). The 5. More women and persons belonging to the SC, ST,
composition of the NJC will be decided in consultation OBC and minorities will be appointed as judges of the
with the Supreme Court. The NJC will be responsible for High Courts and the Supreme Court.
the selection and appointment of judges of the High
Courts and the Supreme Court. 6. Congress will establish a Judicial Complaints
Commission consisting of retired judges of the
2. All vacancies in the High Courts and Supreme Court Supreme Court and retired Chief Justices of the High
will be filled within three years. Courts to investigate complaints of misconduct
against judges of the higher judiciary.
3. Congress will amend the Constitution to create two
divisions in the Supreme Court: a Constitutional Court
and a Court of Appeal. The Constitutional Court consist-
ing of the seven seniormost judges will hear and decide
cases involving the interpretation of the Constitution
and other cases of legal significance or national impor-
tance. The Court of Appeal will be the final court of
appeal that will, sitting in Benches of three judges each,
hear appeals from the High Court and National Tribu-
nals.

24
ANTI-CORRUPTION
In the last 10 years, we have seen that several measures taken by the BJP/NDA government were actually
a cloak for corruption. Some examples are demonetisation, the Rafale deal, Pegasus spyware, and the
Electoral Bonds scheme. Congress will probe these dubious deals and schemes and bring to law those
who made illegal gains through these measures.

Known offenders were allowed to leave the country in the last 10 years. The BJP/NDA government is
perceived to have facilitated their leaving the country and has not been able to bring back any of the
scamsters. The circumstances under which they were allowed to leave the country will be probed and all
scamsters and their accomplices will be brought before the law.

The BJP has turned out to be a giant washing machine. Accused in registered cases who joined the BJP
were allowed to escape the law. The allegations against such persons will be revived and investigated.

25
 ART, CULTURE
AND
HERITAGE
Art, culture and heritage constitute the
identity of a people. The BJP/NDA
government has focused on looking at
culture through the lens of politics and
ideology, while the actual practitioners,
practices and institutions of culture have
been neglected or actively undermined.
Congress is committed to protect the
rich diversity of India’s art and culture
and to ensure they thrive in an atmo-
sphere of freedom and creativity.

1. Congress will guarantee artistic freedom. We will 7. Congress will support government and private
oppose censorship. Attempts by vigilante groups to efforts to establish museums, art galleries, libraries
censor or intimidate artists will be dealt with firmly and and archives. This will include smaller institutions at
according to law. the district level, which are the repositories of local
knowledge about artists, artisans, folk culture and
2. Congress will commit resources and attention to communities. We will support measures to create
sustaining India’s living traditions, especially to the digital archives.
flourishing of our distinct indigenous cultures.
8. We will work with state governments to build a
3. We will empower the artisan economy and promote national network of libraries. We will support mobile
crafts-based enterprises. and community libraries.

4. Congress will ensure the autonomy of national 9. We will ensure that the National Mission on Monu-
cultural institutions, including financial autonomy. These ments and Antiquities is revitalised. The Archaeologi-
institutions will be administered by renowned artists cal Survey of India will be provided more funds and
and experts in the field. human resources.

5. We will promote art education in schools and 10. We will offer grants for the translation of traditional
colleges, and support institutions that exclusively teach and contemporary expressions of Indian culture into
the arts. Indian and foreign languages to foster national integra-
tion and Indian soft power abroad.
6. We will intensify the efforts to retrieve India’s stolen
art and also support private efforts. 11. We will review and strengthen the Copyright Act,
1957.

26
 ECONOMY
Our Economic Policy
Economic justice is as important as political and social justice. Sound economic policies will ensure that India, a
developing country, will attain the status of, first, a middle-income country and, then, a developed country.

Congress’ economic policy has evolved over the years. In 1991, the Congress ushered in the era of liberalization and
steered the country toward an open, free and competitive economy with regulatory oversight. The country reaped
enormous benefits in terms of wealth-creation, new businesses and entrepreneurs, a huge middle class, millions of
jobs, important innovations in education and healthcare, and exports. Millions of people were lifted out of poverty. We
reiterate our commitment to an open economy in which economic growth will be driven by the private sector comple-
mented by a strong and viable public sector.

TIME FOR A RE-SET

After 33 years, the time is ripe for a re-set of economic

policy. We need a Nav Sankalp Economic Policy. The
cornerstone of the Nav Sankalp Economic Policy will
be JOBS. To create jobs, India must become a
producing economy. We must produce goods and
services for ourselves and for the world. There is a
huge opportunity for India to emerge as the world’s
biggest producer.

We reject jobless growth and the BJP’s legacy of

job-loss growth. We will address the issues of inflation;
extreme poverty among a significant section of the
people; hunger; nutritional deficiency among women
and children; and the growing inequalities of income
and wealth.

The three goals of our economic policy were, and will

be, work, wealth and welfare.

WORK

Work means there will be plenty of jobs and sufficient opportunities for self-employment and starting businesses.

1. We will create thousands of jobs as outlined in the 3. We will remove the current environment of distrust
next chapter. The best creator of jobs is the private and fear, and create a healthy eco-system where
sector. In particular, the MSME sector is the creator of private enterprises, regulatory authorities, tax authori-
the largest number of jobs, especially for workers with ties and government will work in a spirit of mutual
average education and average skills. cooperation and respect.

2. We will support the private sector and every kind of 4. We will protect innovation and intellectual property
enterprise — large, medium, small and micro — in their rights, provide access to finances, and ensure the
endeavour to create jobs and produce goods and freedom to produce and sell anywhere in India or
services. abroad.

27
5. We will support free trade and rule-based internation- 14. We will address the issues of gender discrimination
al trade and commerce. and gender inequality in workplaces and in accessing
economic opportunities.
6. We will encourage and participate in bilateral and
multilateral trade agreements. 15. We will ensure that banks offer low-interest loans
to Self-Help Groups.
7. Regulatory oversight will be based on clearly enunci-
ated laws and rules that will be applied fairly and 16. Congress will undertake a comprehensive review of
without discrimination. various charges levied by banks, stop the exploitation
of customers, and rationalize the charges for bank
8. We will ensure a level playing field for all. services.

9. We are opposed to monopolies and oligopolies and 17. We will launch an urban employment programme
crony capitalism. guaranteeing work for the urban poor in reconstruction
and renewal of urban infrastructure.
10. We will ensure that no company or person arrogates
to itself or himself the financial or material resources or 18. We will make a law to specify and protect the rights
the business opportunities or the concessions that of gig workers and unorganised workers and enhance
ought to be available to every entrepreneur. their social security.

11. Our policy preference will be in favour of business 19. We will propose laws to regulate the employment
enterprises that create a large number of jobs. of domestic help and migrant workers, and ensure their
basic legal rights.
12. Full employment is our goal and we will make every
effort to ensure that the large workforce is gainfully 20. We will reorient the tax policies towards employ-
employed. ment and wages as well as investments and profits.

13. We will introduce reforms in industrial and labour 21. We will address the growing inequality of wealth
laws to restore the balance between labour and capital and income through suitable changes in policies.
to meet our twin goals of full employment and high
productivity gains. The Labour Codes passed by the
BJP/NDA government will be reviewed and amended.

28
WEALTH

Wealth and wealth creation are the goals of any business.

Industrial and business policies and regulations will be
designed to facilitate the production of goods and services in
larger volumes and higher values. While production is import-
ant, productivity is equally important. Any impediment, legal
or administrative, to larger production or higher value will be
removed. We will facilitate access to finances, raw materials,
technology, intellectual property, and other resources both
from within India and through imports. Business enterprises
will have the liberty to sell goods and services within India or
through exports. All laws and rules that inhibit free and fair
trade will be reviewed and changed.

India’s GDP in 1990-91 was approximately 25 lakh crore in

constant prices. In 13 years, first under a Congress govern-
ment and later under coalition governments, the GDP doubled
and reached a value of 50 lakh crore in 2003-04. In 10 years
under the UPA, the economy doubled again and the GDP was
at 100 lakh crore in 2013-14. A 100 lakh crore economy
was inherited by the BJP/NDA government but it wasted the
golden opportunity. If the UPA had continued in office, the
economy would have doubled again and stood at 200 lakh
crore in 2023-24. Alas, due to the BJP’s mismanagement, the
GDP will reach a level of only 173 lakh crore by the end of
2023-24 falling short of a target that was unachievable.

The Congress is committed to rapid growth and generation of

wealth. We have set a target of doubling the GDP in the next
10 years.

WELFARE

Welfare of all is the goal of all work and the creation of wealth. Owing to the skewed policies of the BJP/NDA, the
people of India are divided in economic terms. There is a small class of very rich, a substantial middle class, a large
segment of people above the poverty line but not yet the middle class, and nearly 22 crore people who are poor.
Under a Congress government, the welfare of the poor will be the first charge on all government resources. It will be
the Congress’ endeavour to ensure that the 22 crore people below the poverty line are lifted above the line in the next
10 years; that they are able to enjoy the fruits of education, healthcare, housing, drinking water, sanitation, electricity
and, above all, opportunities for jobs/work; and are made strong and self-reliant to compete with others who are
higher on the economic ladder.

As people move up the economic ladder, their needs are for better infrastructure and better goods and services.
Besides, we must get the Indian economy and the Indian work force ‘future-ready’. The challenges of the future
include the changes in the global economy, advanced technology such as Artificial Intelligence, robotics and machine
learning, and climate change. The future of our energy is Green Energy. We will mobilize the massive capital required
for our green energy transition.

The Nav Sankalp Economic Policy will aim to build a fair, just and equal-opportunity economy and bring prosperity to
all sections of the people. Congress will herald a new beginning, just as we did in 1991, involving all sections of the
people in nation-building. The time has become to re-set and re-prioritize our roadmap for economic development in
the context of the twin challenges to our economy, namely, UNEMPLOYMENT and INFLATION.

We have made specific promises in different sections of this Manifesto. By implementing these promises, we hope to
achieve the paramount goal of ushering in a fair, just and equitable economy that will make India a rich country, and
that will be resilient to adapt to a changing world.

29
 UNEMPLOYMENT –
MEETING THE CRY
FOR JOBS
The most challenging issue today is widespread
unemployment. The cry everywhere is for jobs.
The unemployment rate ranges from 10 per cent
(for age 15-29) to 42.3 per cent (for graduates
under age 25) to 9.8 per cent (for graduates of
age 30-34). No one has any faith in the BJP which
deceived the people with the false claim that it
will create 2 crore jobs a year. The BJP/NDA
government’s response to the grave problem was
to abandon labour force surveys, distort data and
pretend that the problem does not exist. We
acknowledge the problem and we promise to
create millions of jobs through concrete initia-
tives:

1.Fill the nearly 30 lakh vacancies in sanctioned posts The programme will be implemented consistent with
at various levels in the central government, teaching and stringent environmental and labour safety standards.
non-teaching posts in central educational institutions,
posts of doctors, nurses, paramedics and other support- 8. We will launch an urban employment programme
ing staff in central government medical institutions, and guaranteeing work for the urban poor in reconstruction
vacancies in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). and renewal of urban infrastructure.

2. Publish a job calendar for each department, institu- 9. Provide jobs for low-education, low-skilled youth by
tion and public body with details of vacancies and the launching a Water Bodies Restoration Programme and
timelines to fill the vacancies. a Wasteland Regeneration Programme that will be
implemented through village panchayats and munici-
3. Abolish the Agnipath programme and direct the palities.
Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard)
to resume normal recruitment to achieve the full sanc- 10. Establish an autonomous non-profit society
tioned strength. involving the state governments, universities and
business organisations to establish at least one Skills
4. Appoint a second ASHA worker in all villages with a Training Institute in each district to impart skills
population exceeding 2,500 persons. through short- and long-term courses to youth in the
age group of 18-29 years. Incentivise corporates to use
5. Double the number of Anganwadi workers and create CSR funds for skill training in recognised skill training
an additional 14 lakh jobs. institutes.

6. Create a new employment-linked incentive (ELI) 11. Incentivise panchayats to establish and maintain
Scheme for corporates to win tax credits for additional solar grids that will generate power for common
hiring against regular, quality jobs. purposes and create jobs at the panchayats level.

7. Launch a strategic mining programme to explore and 12. Amend the laws to make workplaces safer for
mine rare earths and critical minerals with the object of women workers and with facilities for care of small
increasing the share of mining to 5 per cent of GDP and children. Facilitate travel to such workplaces.
creating 1.5 crore jobs for unskilled and skilled workers
in the mineral-rich states.

30
 TAXATION AND
TAX REFORMS
Taxation forms the core of governance. The
last ten years of the BJP/NDA government is a
case of “taxation gone berserk”. The share of
taxes paid by the common person and the poor
through regressive indirect taxes has increased
significantly and the share of taxes paid by
corporates has decreased – the exact opposite
of what a people-friendly and progressive
taxation policy should be. Despite the tall
claims of increasing the tax base through
demonetistion and GST, India’s overall tax to
GDP has not increased in the last decade,
leaving very little room for increased expendi-
ture. Congress will undertake a complete
overhaul of India’s taxation system to make it
people-friendly and efficient, and to incentivise
private savings and investment.

1. Congress will enact a Direct Taxes Code that will 7. GST will not be levied on agricultural inputs.
usher in an era of transparency, equity, clarity and
impartial tax administration of direct taxes. 8. The GST Council will be re-designed. It will be the
final authority on policy and on all matters relating to
2. Congress will maintain stable personal income tax GST.
rates throughout its term. This will ensure that the
salaried class is not subjected to rising tax rates and 9. The administration of GST laws will be divided
have clarity to plan their finances over the medi- horizontally between the central government and the
um-to-long period. state governments. Small GST-payers below a thresh-
old will come under the purview of the state govern-
3. We will eliminate “Angel tax” and all other exploitative ments.
tax schemes that inhibit investment in new micro, small
companies and innovative start-ups. 10. A portion of GST revenues will be allocated to
pnchayats and municipalities.
4. Congress will lessen the burden of tax on MSMEs
owned by individuals and partnership firms. 11. Shopkeepers and small retail businesses that face
intense competition from online businesses will be
5. We will end the duplicitous “cess” raj of the Modi given significant tax relief.
government to deny states their rightful share of tax
revenues by introducing a law to limit Union cess and 12. The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), the
surcharges to 5 per cent of gross tax revenues. Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT)
and the Customs Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) will be
6. Congress will replace the GST laws enacted by the autonomous judicial bodies without interference by the
BJP/NDA government with GST 2.0. The new GST government.
regime will be based on the universally accepted
principle that GST shall be a single, moderate rate (with
a few exceptions) that will not burden the poor.

31
 INDUSTRY
In order to become a developed economy and create good quality jobs for hundreds of thousands of youth, it
is critical that India transitions from a consumer economy to a producer economy. India must become a
manufacturing powerhouse that produces goods and services for itself and the world. To this end, beyond
economic and business factors, the most vital ingredient is social harmony that will attract investments and
a skilled labour force. It is thus no surprise that in the last 25 years, India’s manufacturing share of GDP has
been higher during the Congress rule. On the contrary, in the last 10 years (2014-24), the share of manufac-
turing has stagnated at 14 per cent.

1. Congress resolves to make India a manufacturing 5. Congress will reform the production-linked incen-
hub by raising the share of manufacturing from 14 per tives (PLI) scheme to target specific sectors that can
cent to 20 per cent of GDP in the next five years. create thousands of jobs by making India one of the
top 5 producers in the world in that sector.
2. The most immediate objective will be to restore a
healthy, fearless and a trustworthy climate for business- 6. We will introduce a new employment-linked incentive
es. While a Congress government in 1991 abolished (ELI) Scheme for corporates to win tax credits for
industrial licensing and controls, the independent additional hiring against regular, quality jobs.
regulatory regime that was put in place has deteriorated
into a system of overt and covert controls. We will 7. We will give the highest priority to intellectual
conduct a comprehensive review of the current rules property rights and to the registration, acquisition,
and regulations and repeal or amend them in order to protection and use of IPR in small, medium and large
restore freedom to industry, business and trade. businesses.

3. Congress will aim for India attaining a position of 8. Congress will create a level playing field for all
leadership in multiple industries such as steel, metals, businesses. We are opposed to monopolies and
garments and textiles, cement, automobiles, electronic oligopolies. We will strengthen the Competition Com-
goods, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, petroleum mission of India in order to ensure that India will be an
products, chemicals, and mining rare earths and critical open and competitive economy.
minerals.
9. Congress will simplify the corporate taxation struc-
4. According to the RBI, nearly 60 per cent of the large ture and end tax terrorism. We will restrain the investi-
central government projects have been stalled or gating agencies from misusing their powers to reward
delayed and costs have risen by nearly 5 lakh crores. or punish corporates and ensure that they act within
Congress will address the problem in a mission-mode the strict limits of the law.
and find ways and means to revive the stalled projects
with the help of the private sector. 10. We will encourage and support the use of Artificial
Intelligence, robotics, etc. which will create new and
frontline jobs. At the same time, we will ensure that
there are more job opportunities in sectors that use
conventional technology.

32
 INFRASTRUCTURE
The hardware of an economy are roads, railways,
ports, airports and electricity. Capital expenditure
and modern technology have to be mobilized to
create infrastructure of world class quality. A
variety of models of building infrastructure must be
adopted according to the needs of the economy.

1. Congress will mobilize public and private capital, 7. Road tolls are perceived by the road-users as
increase the pace of construction, and augment infra- excessive and exploitative. The policy on Road Tolls
structure. The focus will be on design, quality, speed of will be reviewed and formulae will be applied to deter-
implementation, maintenance and accountability. mine the toll amount and the period of levy for each
stretch of the road.
2. Private capital must be attracted to create public
assets and infrastructure. The BJP/NDA government 8. A regulatory regime for ports and airports will be
has inverted this model and is using public money to established to promote efficiency and competition
create assets that eventually find their way into private among ports/airports.
hands. Congress will stop this loot of public money.
9. We will promote green energy. We will implement
3. We will modernise the outdated railway infrastructure renewable energy schemes that will make the
but in doing so we will ensure that trains and stations panchayats or municipality self-sufficient in electricity
serve the needs of the common people and commuters. as far as possible. We will promote solar-powered
The railway services and facilities available to the poor engines for tapping groundwater for agriculture.
and middle classes will be continued.
10. We will ensure that modern scientific methods for
4. KAVACH, an anti-collision device, was developed exploration and extraction of natural resources are
during the term of the UPA. KAVACH will be installed in followed to protect and preserve the local environment
all train engines and routes to improve passenger safety and communities. Representatives from the concerned
on Indian railways. panchayat or municipality will be consulted before
undertaking such projects.
5. Transport facilities and connectivity between rural
areas and the nearby town/city will be augmented so
that people may live in rural areas and work in urban
areas.

6. Congress will implement a comprehensive plan for

multi-modal urban public transport.

33
34
 FEDERALISM
Centre-State Relations
Federalism is the foundational principle of ‘India is a
Union of States’. India’s fabric of federalism stitched
together by mutual trust between the Union and States
has been systematically destroyed by the BJP/NDA
government. Congress affirms its belief that India
cannot be administered by the central government
alone. In most matters concerning the daily lives of the
people, it is the state government that is close to the
people and, in some matters, it is the local government
(panchayats or municipality) that is closer to the people.

1. We will review the distribution of legislative fields in

the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution and build a
consensus on transferring some fields from List III
(Concurrent List) to List II (State List).

2. India is one and many at the same time. Its unity gets
strengthened when its diversities are accommodated
and celebrated. This has always been Congress’ stance
and will remain so. Article 1 of the Constitution begins
with the words “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of
States.” This is the guiding principle of federalism in our
country.

3. Congress will end the duplicitous “cess” raj of the

BJP/NDA government to deny states their rightful share
of tax revenues. We will introduce a law to limit Union
cess and surcharges to 5 per cent of gross tax
revenues.

4. We will instruct the Finance Commission to take into

account factors such as demographic performance and
tax efforts in determining the shares of states in the
devolution of central tax revenues. We will work with
state governments to evolve a formula to devolve funds,
including a share of GST revenues, directly to pancha-
yats and municipalities.

5. Taking into account rapid urbanisation, we will amend

the laws to grant more executive, financial and adminis-
trative powers to the directly-elected Mayor/Chairperson 6. Congress, as the author of the 73rd and 74th Consti-
for effective governance in urban local bodies. The tution Amendments, will prevail upon the states to
administration will be accountable to the Mayor/Chair- implement those provisions in letter and spirit and
person and the Council. devolve funds, functions and functionaries upon the
panchayat and municipality.

35
7. Congress will enhance the role and authority of Gram 10. We will give Special Category status to Andhra
Sabhas in matters concerning village panchayats. We Pradesh as promised on 20 February 2014.
will enhance the authority of the Gram Sabha in the
administration of the following Acts: 11. We will amend the Government of National Capital
Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 and declare that the
(a.) The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas)
Lieutenant Governor shall act on the aid and advice of
Act, 1996.
the Council of Ministers of NCT, Delhi on all matters,
(b.) The Forest Rights Act, 2006. including Services, except on matters concerning the
three reserved subjects.
(c.) The Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
12. We will grant full statehood to Puducherry.
8. Congress will enhance financial assistance to the
Autonomous District Councils in the North Eastern
states.

9. We will immediately restore full statehood to Jammu

and Kashmir. We will amend the Sixth Schedule of the
Constitution to include the tribal areas of Ladakh.

RURAL AND URBAN

DEVELOPMENT
The two realities that India faces are (1) that nearly 60 per
cent of the people live in rural areas and (2) urbanisation is
taking place rapidly. Hence, we have to pay equal attention
to rural development and urban development, and provide
adequate infrastructure in our villages and towns/cities.

Some issues like livelihoods, housing, water, electricity, habitat, pollution, climate change, transport and disaster
management are common to both rural and urban areas.

1. For rural areas, Congress will pass the Right to 4. To regulate the mindless expansion of existing
Homestead Act, extend the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak cities, Congress will support the construction of a twin
Yojana to all villages and habitations, and increase the city near an existing city but separated by a clear green
funds to and quicken the pace of implementation of the and no-construction zone between the old and new
National Drinking Water Mission. cities.

2. We will increase the wage under MGNREGA to 400 5. To improve urban governance, the Mayor/Chairper-
per day. MGNREGA funds and workers may also be son will be directly elected for a fixed term of 5 years
deployed to build public assets such as classrooms, along with a Council. Executive, financial and adminis-
libraries and primary health centres. trative powers will be conferred upon the Mayor/Chair-
person. The administration will be accountable to the
3. We will launch an urban employment programme Mayor/Chairperson and the Council.
guaranteeing work for the urban poor in reconstruction
and renewal of urban infrastructure. 6. Transport facilities and connectivity between rural
areas and the nearby town/city will be augmented so
that people may live in rural areas and work in urban
areas.

36
7. Congress will implement a comprehensive plan for 10. We will prevail upon the states to implement the
multi-modal urban public transport. 73rd and 74th Amendment to the Constitution in letter
and spirit and ensure that funds, functions and
8. Travel/transport will be made safer for women and functionaries are devolved upon the panchayats and
children, especially in towns and cities. municipalities.

9. The menace of stray dogs has acquired alarming

proportions. Solutions will be found that will protect
humans (especially children) and that are consistent
with a humanitarian approach to animals.

NORTH
EASTERN
STATES
The North Eastern states within the
Union of India represent the pluralism
and diversity of India. We are proud that
we are a diverse country that is home to
many races, religions and languages.

1. We will assess the infrastructure deficit in the North 5. The situation in Manipur has gone from bad to
Eastern states and provide more funds for building worse due to the callous neglect of the BJP/NDA
infrastructure. government. Congress will remove the present state
government forthwith and heal the wounds between
2. We will support Border Trade and make every effort the communities. We will appoint a Reconciliation
to increase the volume and value of such trade. Commission to bring about a political and administra-
tive settlement that will be satisfactory to all the people
3. Congress will revive the Autonomous District Coun- of the state.
cils (ADCs) in the North Eastern states and make them
an effective instrument of local government. We will 6. We will ensure appropriate compensation and
ensure that more funds are channelised through the redress for the victims and survivors of the conflict in
ADCs for developmental works. Manipur.

4. We will ensure that tea garden workers receive fair 7. A final solution and agreement will be entered into
wages and other benefits in accordance with the with the Naga groups on the basis of the preliminary
applicable laws and agreements. agreement that had been agreed in 2013-14.

37
 NATIONAL
SECURITY
Defence
The Chinese intrusions in Ladakh and the Galwan clash in 2020 represented the biggest setbacks to Indian national
security in decades. On 19 June 2020, PM Narendra Modi gave a clean chit to China that considerably weakened our
negotiating position. Despite 21 rounds of military-level talks, Chinese troops continue to occupy Indian territory and
deny Indian forces access to 26 out of 65 patrolling points, equivalent to an area of 2,000 square km in eastern
Ladakh. A Chinese buildup in Doklam threatens the Siliguri Corridor that connects northeast India with the rest of the
country.

1.The absence of a formal National Security Strategy 5. Congress will scrap the Agnipath Scheme and return
has led to ad hoc and personalised policymaking. to the normal recruitment processes followed by the
After detailed deliberations, Congress will issue a Army, Navy and Air Force that will guarantee economic
comprehensive National Security Strategy. and social security for our soldiers.

2. The Raksha Mantri’s Operational Directive determines 6. Congress will systematically expand the opportuni-
the Armed Forces’ war planning. The UPA government ties for women to serve in combatant and non-combat-
issued the last directive in 2009. Congress will bring a ant roles in the Armed Forces.
new Operational Directive to deal with our current
two-front challenge. 7. The National Security Council (NSC) and the office
of National Security Adviser (NSA) will be brought
3. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is a sensitive and under the oversight of a select committee of Parlia-
crucial post for military reform, preparedness and joint ment.
operations. Congress will institutionalise the process of
appointing the CDS to ensure transparency and military 8. The concept of national security in the 21st century
consensus. has expanded beyond defence of the territory to
include hybrid warfare, data security, cyber security,
4. We will reverse the decline in defence expenditure as financial security, communication security and security
a proportion of total expenditure and will ensure that of trade routes. Congress will evolve suitable policies
sufficient funds are allocated and spent to meet the to address each of these subjects.
requirements of the Armed Forces.

38
9. Congress will establish a National Economic 10. We will rapidly expand domestic capacity to
Security Board under the NSC with the following objec- manufacture defence and security hardware and
tives: equipment.
(a.) to monitor possible risks to global supply chain
11. One Rank One Pension (OROP) will be implemented
disruptions and suggest counter actions;
in accordance with the order of the UPA government
(b.) to suggest measures to reduce over-dependence dated 26 February 2014. Anomalies that have arisen in
on large import sources; the implementation of OROP by the BJP/NDA govern-
ment will be rectified. We will restore the disability
(c.) to recommend future courses of action toward
pension and make it tax-free.
inward and outward investments that will strengthen
India's footprint in the world;
(d.) to monitor global financial flows and identify
potential threats to India, along with actions required to
mitigate them in advance; and
(e.) to work on digital/cybersecurity issues that may
threaten India's digital financial infrastructure.

INTERNAL
SECURITY
In the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks in
2008, Congress revamped the internal security
system and implemented a number of radical
measures. Distressingly, gaps have emerged in
the system. Besides, the increase in hate
speeches, hate crimes and communal strife
has compounded the situation.

1.Congress will put down with a firm hand hate speech- 4. The State police is the first responder to threats to
es, hate crimes and communal conflicts. According to internal security. Congress will work with State govern-
NCRB data, crimes against women, SC, ST and minori- ments to build, train and equip the State police forces
ties have increased. We will identify the perpetrators of to maintain law and order and to punish offenders
such crimes as well as their sponsors and punish them without fear or favour.
in accordance with law.
5. Trafficking and selling of drugs will be put down with
2. Congress is firmly opposed to extra-judicial illegal a firm hand. Increasingly, ports are used to smuggle
measures like mob lynching, police encounter killings drugs. The regulatory and penal provisions will be
and bulldozer justice. We will stop them immediately strengthened, and drug smugglers and traffickers, and
and punish the perpetrators in accordance with law. their accomplices, will be dealt with sternly in accor-
dance with law.
3. The unfinished agenda of the 2008 reforms are:
6. The strength of the Central Armed Police Forces
•NATGRID and
(CAPF) will be augmented and modernized. Our goal is
•National Counter-Terrorism Centre.
that 33 per cent of these forces will be made up of
Congress will take up the two subjects, complete the women. The Service Rules will be revised and updated.
work, and operationalise them within one year. The forces will be deployed having regard to the needs
of training, rest and recuperation.

7. We will fill the vacancies in the CAPF and achieve

the full sanctioned strength.

39
 FOREIGN POLICY

1. Congress affirms and will uphold continuity in India’s 5. Enhanced foreign trade will be an important element
foreign policy. Our approach was profoundly shaped by of our foreign policy and we will make every effort to
the freedom movement and developed through the conclude long-pending trade negotiations with other
wisdom of visionary leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru. countries in the interests of Indian producers and
consumers.
2. There was a consensus on foreign policy since
Independence. Unfortunately, in many areas, foreign 6. Congress is implacably opposed to terrorism
policy under the BJP/NDA government has witnessed anywhere in the world. We will work with other coun-
marked departures from this consensus, notably on the tries to eliminate terrorist groups, terrorist acts and
ongoing Gaza conflict. Congress pledges to restore cross-border terrorism.
India’s global reputation as a voice of peace and moder-
ation in world affairs. 7. Congress will work to repair India’s international
image that has been damaged by the present govern-
3. Congress re-affirms its firm belief in the continued ment’s intolerance of dissent and suppression of
relevance of the established policy of peaceful co-exis- human rights.
tence, strategic autonomy in thought and action, and
increased bilateral engagement in its relations with the 8. Congress recognises that national security is not
countries of the world. enhanced by chest-thumping or exaggerated claims
but by quiet attention to our borders and resolute
4. We will work to strengthen India’s role in multilateral defence preparedness. We will work to restore the
institutions, co-ordinate positions with other countries status quo ante on our borders with China and to
of the Global South on vital issues, and continue to work ensure that areas where both armies patrolled in the
for reform and empowerment of international organisa- past are again accessible to our soldiers. We will take
tions to deal with the major challenges that transcend the necessary steps to adjust our policy towards China
borders. until this is achieved.

40
9. Congress will pay greater attention to our immediate 11. Congress will significantly increase the size of the
neighbours. We will re-establish the primacy of our Indian Foreign Service, open more missions abroad,
special relationships with Nepal and Bhutan and leverage our economic strengths, and acquire a
strengthen them to our mutual benefit. We will enhance position of leadership through the country’s values and
economic and cultural relations between India and mutually beneficial economic relationships.
Bangladesh that are the two most populous countries in
South Asia. We will work with Sri Lanka to restore the 12. We will revive the position of a Minister of State
political and commercial relations between the two handling overseas Indians within the External Affairs
countries and help Sri Lanka resolve its political issues Ministry to provide this important constituency with a
especially with the Tamils. We will repair relations with one-stop window to address their concerns.
the Maldives and work with Myanmar to protect the
political and human rights of the people of Myanmar.

10. Engagement with Pakistan depends fundamentally

on its willingness and ability to end cross-border
terrorism.

41
 ENVIRONMENT
Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Management
Congress re-affirms its profound commitment to rapid, inclusive and sustainable development, and to protect its
ecosystems, local communities, flora and fauna. We recall that it was Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who first put in
place the laws, regulations and institutions for that purpose. The National Action Plan on Climate Change was
prepared under the leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Despite the BJP’s misinformed criticism of the
Action Plan, the BJP/NDA government subsequently acknowledged its relevance and validity. However, there have
been several departures from the previous policies and important components such as environment protection,
forest conservation, biodiversity preservation, coastal zone regulation, wetlands protection and protection of tribal
rights have been weakened.

Air pollution and water pollution continue to extract a heavy toll on public health. Livelihoods are being destroyed in
tribal and ecologically sensitive areas.

Congress will address the issues of environment and climate change with the seriousness they deserve.

1. We will constitute an independent Environment 3. We will strengthen the National Clean Air
Protection and Climate Change Authority to establish, Programme in order to urgently tackle the problem of
monitor and enforce environmental standards and to air pollution.
enforce the National and State Climate Change plans.
4. Congress will work with state governments to stop
2. We will launch a Green New Deal Investment the discharge of effluents into the rivers and water
Programme focused on renewable energy, sustainable bodies of India.
infrastructure and the creation of green jobs.

42
5. Congress will appoint a high-level committee to study 9. In order to facilitate the funding required for Green
the issue of landslides in the hill districts, evolve Transition and to achieve the goal of net zero by 2070,
measures to prevent landslides and ensure citizens’ we will set up the Green Transition Fund of India
safety. together with state governments and the private sector.

6. Congress will protect the coastal zones of the 10. We will not limit disaster management to humans
country. The coastal zones will be preserved without and will expand it to include other vulnerable lives such
affecting the livelihood of fishing communities. as wild animals, domestic animals, pets and livestock.

7. India experienced the biggest loss of forest cover 11. We will increase the allocation to the National
after Brazil between 2015 and 2020. We will work with Adaptation Fund and review the guidelines for use of
state governments to increase the forest cover, redefine the Fund.
‘forest’ and ‘forest cover’ in accordance with modern
scientific standards, and involve local communities in 12. We will transition from the 2008 National Action
afforestation. Plan on Climate Change to a National Climate Resil-
ience Development Mission to ensure that all sectors
8. Congress will provide clean cooking fuel at affordable of development provide protocols for action and
prices to all households of the country. We will ensure measurable targets.
that the use of LPG cylinders is increased from the
current paltry average number of 3.7 per year among 13. Conflicts between humans and wildlife have
Ujjwala beneficiaries. increased. We will intervene and find solutions that are
specific to the areas of conflict.

WATER MANAGEMENT
AND SANITATION
India has 18 per cent of the world’s population but
only 4 per cent of water resources. Climate change
and an erratic monsoon have added to the water
stress felt by farmers, industries, consumers and
others.

1. Congress will expand the remit of the Ministry of Jal 2. We will implement a nationwide plan to provide
Shakti and bring all water-related activities and depart- potable water in all cities, towns and village
ments under one authority. panchayats.

43
3. Water harvesting will be made mandatory. Desalina- 6. Congress will end the evil of manual scavenging.
tion plants will be installed in all coastal areas. The use Every manual scavenger will be rehabilitated, re-skilled,
of recycled water will be promoted for non-drinking and provided a job and assured a life of dignity and safety.
industrial purposes. The Prohibition of Manual Scavenging Act, 2013, will
be strictly implemented and any person employing
4. Congress will pay special attention to access to anyone for manual scavenging shall be punished. We
water and democratic sharing of water. We will will provide compensation of 30 lakh to families of
address these issues by focusing on storage in dams sanitation workers deceased while at work. We will
and water bodies, replenishing groundwater and allocate sufficient funds to enable the procurement of
creating a large participatory programme of water machines that will clean sewers and septic tanks, and
management involving the state governments, civil remove human waste. Free insurance will be provided
society organisations, farmers, panchayats and gram to all sanitation workers.
sabhas, and municipalities.
7. In collaboration with state governments, a compre-
5. Our rivers are polluted because of the discharge of hensive programme of underground drainage and safe
effluents into the rivers. Discharge of any kind of disposal of sewage will be implemented in all towns
effluent into rivers will be prohibited by law. Pancha- and municipalities in 10 years.
yats and municipalities will be required by law to devise
and implement schemes for disposal of effluents and
waste.

44
 AN APPEAL
The ten years of the BJP/NDA government have been marked by exaggeration and publicity rather than substance
and performance. The economy has registered less-than-satisfactory growth. Widespread unemployment, high
inflation and falling consumption have debilitated even this modest growth.

While the poor and the middle classes have been hit below the belt, the atmosphere in the country has become
hate-filled and divisive. Constitutional values have been pushed to the background and majoritarianism has taken
over.

Inequalities have widened. Every section of the people lives in fear.

What India and the Indian people need at this time is a decisive break from the path of the last ten years. The people
yearn to walk on the road of all-round development, equality, equity, freedom and justice. Congress has the capability
to provide the leadership to the people to walk on this new road.

The lessons of history are there before you. Congress delivered Independence. Congress laid the foundations of
democracy. Congress steered the country’s economic development through the 1950s and 1960s. Congress govern-
ments fought the wars of 1965 and 1971 and protected the sovereignty and integrity of India. Congress brought
about a paradigm change in 1991 and ushered in an era of impressive growth. In the last ten years, the Congress has
been the bulwark against illiberalism and authoritarianism. Congress has stood with the people in their fight against
injustice and oppressive laws.

Bearing in mind the lessons of history, the Congress appeals to you to repose your faith once again in the Indian
National Congress.

We promise you greater freedom, faster growth, more equitable development and justice for all. We appeal to you to
vote for the ‘Hand’ symbol and for the candidates of the Indian National Congress

It is time to remind ourselves of Tagore’s immortal words in Gitanjali:

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

45
46
 s

Qty : 3000
1