Freebies manifesto in Karnataka Elections

The Congress is trying to make terror an election issue, with an obvious eye on the minority votes. In its manifesto the Congress has promised a state-level committee under the chairmanship of a retired high court judge to look into the cases of detention and implicating of innocent individuals in terrorism. It has also promised to establish fast-track courts to try terrorism-related cases and heinous crimes against women and children.

·        Promise of 30 kg of rice at Re 1 is targeted at 98 lakh families. The rice bill will work out to over Rs 1,500 crore

·        Laptops would cost around Rs 2,500 crore for 10 lakh PUC students (at Rs 25,000 per laptop).

“These are not mere assurances, but our commitment,” KPCC president G Parameshwara said. Defence minister A K Antony, who released the manifesto, maintained that a committee would be constituted to implement the manifesto in a time-bound manner.

The only difference between the BJP and Congress in terms of freebies, is the quantity and volume. The BJP, too, has offered free laptops and rice at Re 1 per kg. The difference is the BJP has offered laptops to PUC and degree students, while Congress has limited the offer to only PUC students. And when it comes to rice, BJP plans to give 25 kg, but the Congress has assured 30 kg of rice to the poor.

True to its character, the party has something for all sections of society — from student to farmer to the poor. However, while trying to please all, the Congress has ended up aping other parties. Assurances like houses for all, clean drinking water for all villages and towns, and establishment of industrial parks remain vague.

To end the woes of the farming community, which bears the brunt of fluctuating prices, the party has promised to set up a commission -- State Agricultural Prices Commission -- to fix competitive prices with a revolving fund of Rs 1,500 crore. For the farmers, other assurances include round-the-clock power for lighting and quality, three-phase power for irrigation pump sets, 100% subsidy for drip irrigation, interest-free loan of up to Rs 2 lakh, increase in milk subsidy from Rs 2 to Rs 4 per litre and waiver of loans of areca farmers affected by yellow leaf disease.

Some other interesting things in manifesto by Congress:-

·        Construction of 8-lane road from Bidar to Chamarajnagar and establishment of industrial parks

·        Make Kannada the compulsory medium of instruction and teach English from Class 1

·        Develop Mangalore and Hubli as industrial city hubs

·        Waive housing loans, and other loans availed by Dalits, OBCs, women and fishermen

·        Introduce agriculture, horticulture and allied subjects at the high school and PUC level

·        The Congress promises to make Bangalore slum-free in five years. It intends to construct apartments in places where the slums stand now.

·        For better coordination and service delivery, the party promises to bring all service providers under one roof, besides splitting the structure of the BBMP to make it administratively viable.

·        Circular railway, construction of North-South, South-East elevated flyovers

·        100% effluent treatment and reuse of water for non-drinking purpose

·        Four botanical gardens in four BBMP zones

·        Five auditoriums on the lines of Ravindra Kalakshetra and five multipurpose high-tech stadiums