Kolkata, March 20 – The Trinamool Congress on Friday released its election manifesto for the upcoming two-phase assembly polls in West Bengal, outlining 10 key promises.
One of the promises was regarding the Laxmir Bhandar, the monthly welfare scheme for women in West Bengal.
The manifesto promised that the monthly amount would be increased to Rs 1,500 for women in general categories and Rs 1,700 for women in reserved categories if the Trinamool Congress were to win a fourth consecutive term in West Bengal.
The manifesto also promised an increased monthly payment of Rs 1,500 under the Banglar Yuba-Sathi scheme, which provides a monthly financial allowance of Rs 1,500 to secondary education-pass youth aged 21 to 40, until they find employment.
The Trinamool Congress had also promised that every family in West Bengal would be provided with a permanent, concrete-built home if the party were to regain power.
It also promised an increased farm budget of Rs 30,000 crore, with a special focus on financial assistance to families in West Bengal that depend on agriculture for their livelihood, as well as special packages for landless farmers.
The manifesto also promised a comprehensive reorganization of the state to establish seven new districts and expand the number of urban local bodies, in order to provide better civic amenities to the people.
For senior citizens, the Trinamool Congress' promise in the election manifesto is uninterrupted pension support for all existing beneficiaries, as well as expanding the pension scheme to include those who are not yet covered.
The seventh promise is to provide piped drinking water to every household in the state, eliminating the need to travel long distances to fetch water.
The eighth promise is to make West Bengal the gateway for trade in eastern India by developing and improving logistical infrastructure, such as ports, roads, and a state-of-the-art World Trade Centre.
The ruling party had also promised to provide healthcare facilities at the doorstep of people at the block and town levels.
Finally, in the education sector, the Trinamool Congress' promise is to improve the infrastructure of all state-run schools in West Bengal.
After releasing the manifesto on Friday afternoon, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in her usual style, criticized the Union government and the Election Commission of India (ECI), claiming that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Central government were using the ECI to indirectly impose President's rule in the state.
She also cautioned that after the state elections, there might be attempts to strip several people of their citizenship and then deport them from the country.
"I am not worried about myself. I am worried about whether the democratic rights of the people will be protected. That is exactly why I am fighting against this authoritarian approach of the BJP and the ruling party at the Centre. That is why I am writing so many letters to the Commission. I want to keep everything on record," the Chief Minister said.
