Congress manifesto silent about economic reforms

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday released a ‘low on reform and high on populism’ manifesto. The poll pledge paper, released by party president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday, promised a heavily subsidised food scheme and improvements in the job guarantee scheme.

The party has said it would concentrate on deepening the efforts it undertook over last five years in the social sector. Consolidation and continuity is the leitmotif of Congress work programme for 2009-2014.

Centering on its "commitment" to the aam aadmi, Congress is seeking another five years in the saddle with the promise of maximum possible security to every citizen, health insurance coverage to every family below the poverty line, education loans for all, enacting a national food security act, pursue affirmative action for SCs and STs in the private sector, reservation for economically weaker sections of all communities and reservation of a proportion of seats in panchayats and nagarpalikas for persons below the age of 35 years.

The party has pledged to enact a National Food Security Act, which will entitle all families below the poverty line, by law, to 25 kg of rice or wheat every month at the rate of Rs 3 per kg. In keeping with its mantra of inclusion, Congress promises to set up subsidised community kitchens in all cities for homeless people and migrants.

The party has pledged health insurance coverage for all families below the poverty line under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna over the next three years. Congress proposes to implement a scheme to supply energy to poor families at affordable prices.

Conceivably, as a response to the current economic downturn, Congress has opted to remain silent on economic reforms. Instead it has eschewed the policy of "blind privatisation". Perhaps, in deference to possible post-election tie-ups, Congress manifesto opts to tread the middle path-disinvestment without privatisation. It upholds the right that Indian people have "to own part of the shares of public sector companies, while the government retains majority shareholding".

Congress committed itself to retaining enterprises like banks, insurance companies, energy, transport and telecom companies in the public sector. It will work towards attracting private investment in the exploration for oil and mineral, including coal and iron ore.


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