In its manifesto for the upcoming association elections in Bihar, people acquainted with the matter said, the Congress is likely to assure a control room and facilitation centre in every state for migrant workers to prevent a lockdown-like crisis, the filling of all government vacancies in 18 months, and the strict implementation of minimum support prices (MSP).
The poll document, which includes promises, policies, and programs of a party if voted to power for the next five times, is now being given final shape and will be released shortly, said Anand Mahadev, chairman of the party’s manifesto committee.
In every other state of the nation, we have assured a control room cum facilitation center for migrant workers from Bihar to assist them in crisis situations.
“We saw 35 lakh (3.5 million) migrant workers and members of their families from Bihar walk shoeless during the lockdown time without any government assistance to enter their homes across the state,” he said.
The manifesto would also speak about equal pay for equal jobs, increasing job opportunities, strengthening law and order, getting business back on track, and providing farmers with fair prices for crops, entitled ‘Parivartan Patra’ (document for a change).
While playing the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) second fiddle in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ or great alliance, the Congress is coming out with its new manifesto, and some significant points will be integrated into the Common Minimum Program (CMP) to outline its government’s objectives and goals for the coming five years.
If the alliance is voted into power, there will also be a coordinating committee for the smooth running of a coalition government.
The other representatives of the “great alliance” are the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), Communist Party of India (CPI), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), or CPI(ML).
Madhav reported that because of the lack of employment in Bihar, migrant workers were selling their belongings and jewelry to return to their places of work in various parts of the country.
“In Bihar, there is an enormous labor crisis and the current government has failed to address this problem,” he said.
The Centre told Parliament last month that throughout the coronavirus-induced lockdown from March to June this year, over 1.06 crore (10.6 million) migrant workers headed back to their home states.
There was a political slugfest between both the Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) caused by the migrant crisis.
Congress received feedback from people via various social media sites, e-mail, and a toll-free number for its manifesto. and a devoted “Bihar ki Baat” (dialogue on Bihar) website.
Madhav said the biggest problem in Bihar is unemployment and insisted that Congress would work hard to reinforce the rural jobs guarantee scheme to fix the problem.
People are promised 100 days of jobs, but they only get an average of 45 days in Bihar. “We will ensure that everyone gets 100 days of work and men and women get the same share,” he said.
RJD leader and Mahagathbandhan Chief Ministerial Candidate Tejashwi Yadav have already declared that in his first cabinet step if the grand alliance comes to power, it will supply one million people with jobs.
Madhav believed that Bihar has witnessed declining law and order, and in the past decade, the crime rate against women has risen. We saw what was going on in Hathras and other parts of UP.
The rate of crime against women in Bihar is 26.6 percent. All steps will be taken by our government for the protection of women in the state,’ he said.
Members from the BJP and Bihar government officials weren’t really available for comment directly.
On October 28, and on November 3 and 7, Bihar head to the polls in three phases. On November 10, the result will be declared.
