CONG MANIFESTO PROMISES PROBE INTO CORRUPTION, SCRIBES’ WELFARE

The Congress released its manifesto for the February 18 Tripura polls on Monday, promising an organisation for the welfare of journalists, making education accessible to all, a committee to review farmers’ debt and rehabilitation of displaced persons.

The 24-page manifesto comes in the wake of killing of two local journalists in the recent past and promises life insurance cover of ₹2 lakh to accredited journalists, apart from providing them lowcost housing and loans at concessional rates. The Congress also promised their safety and freedom of speech to them.

Keeping the legacy of the royals in mind, the party said it would rename Agartala Airport after the last king, Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Deb Burman, and establish a super speciality hospital after Kirit Bikram Kishore Deb Burman, father of the present head of Manikya dynasty Pradyot Kishore Deb Burman.

Like the BJP, the Congress promised action against the accused in the Rose Valley chit fund scam. “We will constitute a high-level committee to investigate all kinds of corruption, including the chit fund scam under the Left regime, and ensure that the 14 lakh people who invested in the fund get their money back,” said Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy, while releasing the manifesto.

Regarding indigenous communities, the party said it would ensure transfer of centrally allocated funds directly to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council, giving them priority in local administration, stopping illegal transfer of their land and setting up a cultural academy to promote their art.

The Congress also assured that it would create employment, provide better health care facilities, increase wages of unorganised labourers to ₹300 per day and form a committee to review debts of farmers.