Tackling unemployment, poverty tops Congress' Goa poll manifesto

Amid the hustle and bustle of assembly polls in five states, the Indian National Congress released their manifesto for the 2017 state assembly elections in Goa in Panjim on Monday.

Launching a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress promised free petrol for youth and wheat at Rs. 2, rice at Rs. 3 and sugar at Rs. 7 in their manifesto.

The manifesto also promises to provide free water and electricity to the poor without any increase in further taxes.

Accepting that job security and opportunities are key concerns, Congress has sworn to confirm all contract workers who have completed five years of employment.

The party has also promised to waive off outstanding mining loans to the extent of one truck loan per family. The much talked about issue of floating casinos has been looked into, by promising to remove it permanently from the Goa.

The party, which is contesting in 37 out of 40 assembly constituencies in Goa, had began an exercise to get inputs from the people before drafting the manifesto.

Former Union Minister Jyotiradiya Scindia, former Goa Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane and Luizinho Faleiro were among the other dignitaries present on the dais.