Haryana polls: INLD arrives with bag full of promises

The INLD released its manifesto for the upcoming Haryana Assembly polls on Saturday, promising loan waiver for farmers and small traders, crop prices for farmers on the basis of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, free power to the farm sector and a slew of benefits for women, unemployed youngsters and traders.

The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), which faced a split following a feud in the Chautala clan, has also promised to bring the state's share of river water after the construction of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal and reviving the Dadupur-Nalvi canal project, which was scrapped by the BJP-led government.

The manifesto for the October 21 polls was released by the party's state president, Birbal Das Dhalia. INLD general secretary Abhay Chautala was conspicuous by his absence.

Laying a special focus on the farming community, which the party claims to be its major support base, the INLD has promised to fix the minimum support price for crops by adding a 50-per cent profit over and above the cost of production, as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission, if voted to power.

Dhalia said the party would waive loans of up to Rs 10 lakh of farmers and small traders.

"Electricity bills of farmers will be waived and for domestic consumers, it will be waived for the first 200 units," he added.

The party, which has been out of power in Haryana for 15 years now, has also promised to do away with the crop insurance scheme and set up a farmers' assistance fund to compensate growers for crop loss.

There will be no Goods and Services Tax (GST) on farming-related equipment and there will be a 50-per cent subsidy on those, the party said.

It further promised to raise the farm loan limit from cooperative societies from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh and a two-per cent interest on it.

The INLD pledged to give a 33-per cent reservation to women in government jobs and promised to improve the law-and-order situation. It also promised to give Rs 5 lakh to the women of economically-backward sections on their marriage.

The party promised to give a job to each family in the state and Rs15,000 monthly unemployment allowance to unemployed youngsters.

In a four-page document, the INLD pledged to reserve 75 per cent jobs in private industries for the youngsters of the state.

The party also promised to give two-wheelers to students after passing Class 12 to encourage them to pursue higher education and free bus service for rural students.

Haryana will be made a drugs-free state, it said.

A grant of Rs 1,000 per month will be given to unemployed people aged between 35 and 60 years, the party promised, if voted to power.

Contractual employees will not be removed from their jobs till they attain 58 years of age, it said, adding that it would do away with the anomalies of the sixth and seventh pay commissions for government employees.

A sum of Rs 18,000 per month will be given to the "safai karamcharis" and watchmen, the party said.

It promised old-age pension of Rs 5,000 per month and a Rs 5 lakh insurance for each citizen of the state.

With Haryana being known as the land of brave soldiers, the INLD promised a two-room house over a 200-square yard plot for the families of soldiers killed in the line of duty. It also promised Rs 10,000 per month as pension for such families.

The party also promised a cash award of Rs 11 crore for sportspersons winning Olympic gold medals, Rs 8 crore for silver and Rs 5 crore for bronze medallists. It also promised a respectable pension for retired sportspersons and Rs 1,500 per day as diet allowance for sportspersons of state, national and international levels.

For traders with a turnover of up to Rs 1.50 crore under the GST, the party promised provisions for quarterly returns and payment of taxes. There will only be one or two GST slabs for the benefit of traders and the e-way billing process will be abolished under the GST system, it said.

The 90-member Haryana Assembly will go to polls on October 21 and the results will be announced on October 24.