Didi releases TMC manifesto, promises monthly wages for all

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 17

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday released the election manifesto of the party promising a minimum monthly income to every household if voted to power.

Banerjee announced that woman guardian of every family (general category) would get Rs 500 every month. The amount would be Rs 1,000 for SC/ST and OBC families.

Highlights

• Woman guardian of every family (general category) will get Rs500 every month. The amount will be Rs1,000 for SC/ST and OBC families
• Generation of five lakh jobs annually and student credit card of Rs10 lakh at four per cent interest only with state govt as guarantor
• 25 lakh low-cost affordable homes for SC and ST community under Bangla Abhaas Yojana
• Annual cash incentive of Rs10,000 to around 68 lakh small and marginal farmers in Bengal under Krishak Bandhu scheme

“The dole is for everyone,” Mamata clarified. “There will be no discrimination. Women guardian will get the amount as part of our women empowerment programme,” she said.

The manifesto gave assurance of generation of five lakh jobs annually and promised a student credit card of Rs 10 lakh at four per cent interest only with the state government as the guarantor.

“This is to give relief to parents from worrying about the higher education of their children,” the Chief Minister said.

The manifesto also promised that the government would build 25 lakh low-cost affordable homes for members of the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) community under the Bangla Abhaas Yojana.

Widow pension would also be provided to eligible members (18 years and above) of all castes and religious communities, she said.

The manifesto also promised an annual cash incentive of Rs 10,000 to around 68 lakh small and marginal farmers in Bengal under the Krishak Bandhu scheme. It is aimed at countering the Centre’s PM Kisan Samman Needhi scheme, which provides Rs 6,000 a year to small and marginal farmers.

To provide free ration to eligible households at doorstep, Mamata promised the “Duare Sarkar” programme. “Duare Sarkar programme will be held four months a year. Free ration will be provided at doorstep,” she added.

The state would offer subsidised meals in 50 cities across Bengal at a rate of Rs 5 per meal, the manifesto stated.

The manifesto further promised that an additional 10 lakh medium and small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) would be added every year to increase the total number of functional MSME units to 1.5 crore.

The manifesto also promised ST status to people of “Kishan Jati” living in the Malda area. It added that recommendation would be made to the central government for according ST status to people of “Mahato” community.

Mamata also promised setting up a special task force to accord the status of OBC to certain castes, who were listed as OBC in the Mandal Commission Report, but do not figure in the list of OBCs in West Bengal.

Claiming that the BJP will not allow people to chant “Jai Siya Ram” , Banerjee said Lord Rama worshipped Goddess Durga as she is much superior to him.