Time to bring in 'right to health', 'right to justice': Cong

Took several bold legislative and policy initiatives to enable empowerment of all Indians through the right-based approach

Congress, which has decided to make rights based legislations brought under UPA rule a major poll plank, today said time has now come to bring in 'Right to Health' and 'Right to Justice' for all Indians.

"The Congress believes that it is time for us to consider Right to Health for all Indians.

"In addition, conscious that our growing economy will inevitably bring conflicting claims and consequent need for fair adjudication, the Congress party believes that it is time to introduce the Right to Justice by ramping up the legal aid schemes and expanding the judicial footprint to ensure faster dispensation of justice," said a resolution at the AICC meet here.

The party said that it has taken several bold legislative and policy initiatives to enable empowerment of all Indians through the right-based approach.

"Congress has remained committed to its promise to the people of India of social empowerment and inclusive growth.... It has enacted progressive legislations like the Right to Information Act, the MNREGA, the Forest Rights Act, RTI, RTE, National Food Security Act and the Right to Fair Compensation in Land Acquisition and R& R Act," it said.

Terming its commitment to social empowerment and inclusive growth as "cornerstones of its policy agenda", the resolution said that the effective implementation of these legislations remain a key priority of the party.

It also noted that recognising the needs of most Indians to access affordable and quality healthcare, a massive infrastructure has been created through the National Rural Health Mission.

The resolution said the party's commitment to inclusive growth agenda can also be gauged from the manifold increase in budgetary allocations for social welfare programmes under the Congress-led UPA government.

"As a result of these policies, the rate of decline of poverty has more than doubled under the UPA government.

"The Congress party remains deeply committed to this empowerment and the inclusive growth agenda, and to eliminating poverty from India," it said.