40% of 20L new jobs for women in Congress UP election manifesto

Lucknow, December 8

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday released a manifesto for women ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, promising that 40 per cent of the 20 lakh new jobs her party aims to create in the state will be allotted to women.

In the six-point manifesto titled “Shakti Vidhan”, she said if the Congress formed government, it would ensure 50 per cent of ration shops in the state were managed and run by women, reserve 25 per cent of all jobs in the police force for women and ensure free medical treatment, up to Rs 10 lakh, for women for any disease.

Key promises

• Will ensure 50% of all ration shops in UP are managed and run by women
• Reserve 25% of all jobs in the police force for women
• Ensure free medical treatment for women for any disease up to Rs10 lakh per family
• 40% work under MGNREGA will also be reserved and prioritised for women

Besides, 40 per cent work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) will also be reserved and prioritised for women, Priyanka said, days after she announced reserving 40 per cent party tickets for women.

The points covered in the manifesto are “swabhiman” (self-respect), “swawlamban” (self-sufficiency), “shiksha” (education), “samman” (respect), “suraksha” (security) and “sehat” (health). On allotting 40 per cent new jobs to women, Priyanka stressed that the allotment would be made in accordance with existing provisions of reservation.

Within the state labour ministry, there would also be a government department to ensure humane working conditions for domestic workers, she promised while releasing the manifesto at the Congress office here.

Businesses increasing their female employee numbers to 50 per cent shall be assisted through adequate incentives, including tax exemptions, she added.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said this was the first manifesto for women released for the next year UP elections, with Priyanka hoping that “this will not remain the only such manifesto, and there will be pressure on other political parties to take women participation in politics seriously”.

“To increase the female workforce of UP and reduce gender inequality, the Congress party will ensure 40 per cent of the 20 lakh new jobs it aims to create in the state will be allotted to women in accordance with the existing provisions of reservation,” Priyanka said. — PTI