Congress Announces Five Guarantees for Jammu and Kashmir in Election Campaign
Anantnag: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge outlined a series of commitments for the people of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, promising significant reforms if the Congress-National Conference (NC) alliance secures power in the Union Territory.
During a campaign event in south Kashmir, Kharge unveiled five key guarantees, including a five lakh rupee interest-free loan for women entrepreneurs and Rs 25 lakh health insurance coverage per family. Additionally, he pledged a monthly stipend of Rs 3,000 to female heads of households and a restoration of the public distribution system’s grain allocation to 11 kg per person.
Kharge also reiterated the Congress-NC alliance’s commitment to fulfilling the long-standing promise of rehabilitating Kashmiri Pandit migrants, a commitment made during Manmohan Singh’s tenure. He emphasized that Other Backward Classes (OBCs) would receive their constitutionally mandated rights.
In his address, Kharge criticized the current BJP-led administration for failing to address job vacancies and accused it of neglecting industrial development. He promised that a Congress-NC government would prioritize job creation and industry, focusing on tourism and manufacturing. The Congress leader also pledged to reopen over 4,400 government schools that have been closed in recent years.
Kharge further vowed to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and reintroduce a bi-cameral legislature. He asserted that the restoration of statehood and legislative reforms would be achieved through the support of the people, underscoring the party’s commitment to addressing regional concerns and governance issues in the Union Territory.
The guarantees were announced in the presence of National Conference President Farooq Abdullah and senior Congress leaders, including K C Venugopal and Subodh Kant.
