Cong manifesto for J&K promises full statehood; silent on Article 370

Says people of the UT will get priority in govt recruitment, tenders, resources

The Congress on Monday released its manifesto for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls, committing to strive to restore statehood if it formed its government in the Union Territory and promising a slew of welfare measures.

The manifesto does not mention the repealed Article 370, but resolved that the party will ensure that the people of J&K get priority in recruitment in government jobs, tenders, land allotment and the region's resources.

It said it will check the rampant mining, especially that of sand, being done by “outsiders” in the UT. The Congress said it will seek to ensure “impartiality” in the mining of blue sapphire in Kishtwar and the lithium reserves in the Reasi district.

The Congress’ manifesto promised a Rs 3,000 monthly allowance to eligible women heads of households, Rs 3,500 monthly allowance for a year to unemployed youth, Rs 2.5 million health insurance cover, to fill 100,000 government vacancies and Rs 72 per kg minimum support price for apples.

The Congress manifesto states that its government will provide additional financial support of Rs 4,000 to landless, tenant, and land-owning farming households per year. “We will also arrange 99-year leases to landless farmers cultivating state land,” Congress chief spokesperson Pawan Khera said.

The manifesto committed to set up a minority commission within the first hundred days, and work towards rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits. It said it will work to restore the Old Pension Scheme, and also restore the 149-year-old tradition of ‘Darbar move’, the bi-annual shift of the state secretariat and its offices from Srinagar to Jammu and vice versa. It has also proposed setting up a Rs 2,500 crore fund to improve irrigation.

Khera said the Congress and its allies, namely the National Conference and CPI (M), will formulate a common minimum programme as their guiding framework to govern the UT. The first phase of the three-phase Assembly polls is scheduled for Wednesday.