The Akali Dal (Badal) yesterday reiterated its allegiance to the 1978 version of Anandpur resolution in its election manifesto for the Punjab Assembly elections, saying true federalism envisaged in the resolution alone can broaden and deepen the bonds of unity and integrity of the great Indian nation.
Releasing the manifesto at a press conference here yesterday afternoon, manifesto committee chairman and former Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala said the Akali-BJP alliance in the event of coming to power would be mainly governed by the common minimum programme (CMP) which merely stated that the Akali Dal-BJP combine believes that more powers should be given to the states. The CMP laid stress on restoring the balance of resources in favour of the states, ending misuse of Article 356 and consulting the state on the choice of Governor as recommended by the Sarkaria Commission in its report on the Centre-state relations. But the Akali manifesto said the states ought to enjoy genuine autonomy political, legislative, fiscal and administrative within the federal framework. Strengthening of states will strengthen the Union, the manifesto added.
While the manifesto promised Punjab human rights commission to guard civil liberties, the CMP is silent on the setting up of the commission, which incidentally also formed part of the 50-point action plan announced by the ruling Congress at its political conference held at Ludhiana on December 22.
The manifesto is silent on the setting up of a special commission of inquiry to expose the Congress hand behind the violence in Punjab as promised in the CMP, which was released jointly by BJP leader Madan Lal Khurana and Barnala in the city on January 22.
The manifesto reiterated the CMPs promise of providing free water and electricity to farmers and abolishing octroi but also added an assurance to abolish land revenue. Barnala said abolition of land revenue would entail a loss of Rs four to five crores, free water would cost Rs 35 to Rs 40 crore and free power another Rs 225 to Rs 250 crore to the state exchequer. All this, he added, could be managed by making optimum use of resources and rationalisation of tax structure as promised in the CMP.
Barnala said employees rendered jobless on this account would be provided alternate jobs.
The akali manifesto rejected all past agreements, decisions, drawal, allocations and arrangements which deprive Punjab of its water requirements and rights, adding the Akali Dal would also strive to scrap the SYL canal project and get control of headworks.
It said Punjab has the riparian rights on the river water of the state and entire water available at present is not even sufficient for requirements of the state. Hence the question of giving river water to any other state does not arise. The Akali Dal will not allow any water to be taken away from the state, the manifesto added.
The CMP also laid emphasis on Punjabs claim on river waters in accordance with riparian principle.
The Akali manifesto on the resolution of Punjabs outstanding disputes on transfer of Chandigarh and other Punjabi-speaking areas to Punjab is line with the CMP with the commitment to resolve all problems through avenues of peaceful political endeavour for the redressal of the grievances of the people of Punjab.
Like the CMP of Akali-BJP combine, the Akali manifesto expressed its belief in the concept of peace and prosperity with honour and dignity and committed to maintain peace in Punjab at all costs.
The manifesto demanded recruitment in the armed and paramilitary forces on merit instead of proportion of ones population and promised to link procurement prices of foodgrains and other farm products to the price index.
It opposed the health corporation set up recently, however, promised more medical colleges and a medical university.
It said all ad hoc employees, including work-charged employees, and also safai karmcharis would be reguarlised.
All privately-managed unaided colleges in existence since 1978 till 1996-97 would be covered under 96 per cent grant-in-aid scheme. It further said Adarsh school scheme would be reintroduced in all blocks of Punjab. While reiterating CMPs promise of free education to girls upto graduation level, the manifesto was silent on the CMP promise of free education to boys upto high school. The manifesto promised ban on sex-determination tests, monthly pension of Rs 300 to men and women of age 65 and 60 years respectively.
While listing achievements of the past Akali governments, the manifesto charged the Congress with institutionalising corruption, compounding poverty and disruptive trends in the society.
