Focus on youth in Cong manifesto for Himachal Pradesh

On steps to combat corruption, the party vowed to ensure transparent and accountable government with zero tolerance to corruption and promised to investigate all scams that took place under the BJP government.

The manifesto released by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma was, however, silent on issues like price rise, FDI in retail and special industrial package for the state.

With focus on youth, the manifesto promised unemployment allowance of Rs 1,000 to all unemployed youth possessing 10 plus two and graduation degrees with annual family income not exceeding Rs 2 lakh, while handicapped unemployed graduate youths will be given an unemployment allowance of Rs 1,500 per month.

It said if the party came to power, it would launch a skill development programme with an outlay of Rs 500 crore and create 1.00,000 job opportunities annually but made no reference of creation of new jobs in government and public sector.

Toppers of class X and class XII Board examinations would be given laptops free of cost while those standing first in Class VIII in every school would be given learning laptops, Sharma said. (MORE)