Cong releases manifesto for Municipal Corporation Elections
By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 20 Jan: The Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) today unveiled its manifesto for the Municipal Corporation elections. The manifesto was released by senior Congress leaders during a press conference held at the Congress Bhawan here today. The Manifesto has been named as Vachan Patra (Letter of Promises) by the party. The manifesto not only makes a large number of promises for the urban areas of the state but also mentions claimed achievements during the previous Congress regimes in the ULBs of the state and the history of the party’s achievements across the country. In all, 26 major promises have been made by the Congress party through its manifesto.
PCC member Gurdeep Singh Sappal, AICC Secretary and Uttarakhand Co-in-charge Surendra Sharma, and former cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat released the manifesto. State Congress President Karan Mahara, former Chief Minister Harish Rawat, former State Congress President Ganesh Godiyal, Deputy Leader of Opposition Bhuvan Kapdi, and State Women President Jyoti Rautela participated in the press conference via video conferencing.
CWC members Gurdeep Singh Sappal and Surendra Sharma highlighted the Congress Party’s achievements in urban development, referencing the 74th Constitutional Amendment initiated by the late Rajiv Gandhi, which empowered urban bodies with financial and administrative capabilities. They also mentioned the Congress government’s decision to bring 17 key departments under urban body control, eliminate DUDA, integrate SUDA, and ensure direct funding to urban bodies. It is another matter though, that most of these departments remain under direct control of the state governments even in the states ruled by the Congress.
Addressing the press conference through video conferencing, State Congress President Karan Mahara reiterated the Congress Party’s commitment to development, particularly through the tourism industry, which he believes can drive growth in remote mountainous regions and create employment opportunities. He outlined various initiatives, including the “Business Process Reengineering” scheme, “Multi Purpose Household Survey”, e-governance implementation, “Content Collection” scheme, and “Complaint Management” system in case the party wins the municipal elections in the state.
Former Chief Minister Harish Rawat reiterated the Congress Party’s focus on the welfare of weaker sections in urban areas, citing the implementation of schemes like Swarn Jayanti Shahri Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY), Slum Settlement Improvement Scheme (NSDP), and Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBAY). He also mentioned the 2016 act granting ownership rights to slum dwellers.
The Congress leaders presented their roadmap for future development schemes in municipal bodies. The key promises include bringing a law to regularise the slum colonies, measures to improve traffic management in the cities, promise to establish Green Uttarakhand, ensuring safe drinking water supply to all households in the ULBs. The party has also promised providing self- employment opportunities to the poor and the deprived sections of the society by allowing them to set up roadside vends and making available to them selected spots to enable them to carry their trade. The manifesto also promises construction of drains in all the municipal wards and construction of robust drainage system in the cities to rid them of the problem of waterlogging. The party has also promised development of new tourist spots in the urban areas of the state to provide new livelihood opportunities to the local youth. In addition, the party has also promised that the issues and problems related to the basic amenities would be resolved at the ward level itself. The party has also promised plantation drives in the cities.
Dehradun mayor candidate Virendra Pokhriyal, state vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana, Dhirendra Pratap, Seva Dal president Hema Purohit, NSUI President Vikas Negi, metropolitan president Jaswinder Singh, state spokesperson Sheeshpal Bisht, Sujata Paul, Manvendra Singh, Garima Dasauni, Vishal Maurya, Abhinav Thapar, Awadhesh Pant, Babban Sati, and others attended the press conference, which was moderated by state media advisor Amarjeet Singh.
