Chhattisgarh Election 2018: Congress releases manifesto, here are the key takeaways

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday released his party’s manifesto for Chhattisgarh which promises farm loan waiver, minimum support price for crops as per the Swaminathan Commission recommendations and ban on liquor sales.

Chhattisgarh will go to election in two phases on November 12 and November 20, and counting of votes will take place on December 11. In the 2013 Assembly polls, BJP had won 49 seats, Congress 39, BSP 1 and independent 1 in the 90-member House.

Here are the key points:

# Farmers' loans would be waived within 10 days of the party attaining power.

# The MSP for paddy will be fixed at Rs 2,500 per quintal and maize at Rs 1,700 per quintal.

# A provision of pension for farmers aged above 60 years.

# Halving of electricity bills for domestic consumers, provisioning of houses and land to urban and rural families respectively.

# Every family will be given 35 kgs of rice every month at Re 1 only.

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# Under the party's "Ghar Ghar Rozgaar, Har Ghar Rozgaar" scheme, apprenticeship programmes and employment opportunities will be provided to the youth.

# Monthly stipend to 10 lakh unemployed youths under the party's 'Rajiv Mitr Yojana".

# Setting up of special women's police stations, women help cells in police stations and strict enforcement of laws related to women.

# A special conveyance for women for late night commuting.

# Introduction of a "universal health care" scheme in which free and quality services will be provided to those in need.

# Converting of six medical colleges into multi-speciality hospitals, along with bringing 1,000 specialists on board in the first year.

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# Air ambulances will be provisioned for areas like Bastar, Sarguja and Gariaband's Supebeda.  

# Special attention on improving the quality of education through emphasis on quality of teachers.

# Increase in the pension being given to police families who have lost a kin in Naxal attacks.

# The establishment of sports hostels and scholarships for economically weak sports persons.

# A ban on sale of liquor in the state.

# A policy will be drafted to take on the menace of Naxalism and serious steps will be taken for talks. And each Naxal-affected panchayat will be given a package of Rs 1 crore for community development works.

# Special laws will be enacted to ensure protection to journalists, lawyers and doctors.

(With PTI inputs)