Rs 25L health insurance, Rs 3K for women among five guarantees of Congress

Ahead of the first phase of the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), the Congress announced five guarantees for people of the Union Territory (UT) on Wednesday.

Party president Mallikarjun Kharge, who addressed a rally in South Kashmir, announced the five guarantees, including a health insurance scheme providing coverage of Rs 25 lakh to every family in the UT, if the alliance of the National Conference and Congress is voted to power.

PM indulging in publicity: Kharge

PM Modi is often seen indulging in politics outside the country. Manipur is burning. Women are being raped there. Houses are being looted and people are being murdered, but Modi and (Amit) Shah are not worried about the people. The present government has not crossed the 400 mark. You are in the minority. —Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Chief

According to the party, if the alliance is voted to power, Rs 3,000 per month will be given to the female head of the family, besides the recruitment for 1 lakh vacant posts, provision of 11 kg rice for each family member and interest-free loan of Rs 5 lakh for women involved in self-help groups (SHGs). Kharge said the promise for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandit migrants, which was made during the term of former PM Manmohan Singh, would also be fulfilled.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and other senior Congress leaders, including KC Venugopal and Subodh Kant, were also present at the event.

The Congress president said the OBCs would also get their rights as enshrined in the Constitution and accused the BJP-led Central Government for not filling 1 lakh vacant posts in the Union Territory. He also reiterated the party’s stand for the restoration of statehood in J&K. He also promised to restore a bi-cameral legislature in the UT. “We will strive to get statehood for J&K. The bi-cameral House will be restored. They (BJP leaders) keep asking how we will do it?” he said.

Party announces names of five more nominees

Meanwhile, the Congress has released a list of five more candidates. It has fielded Mir Iqbal from Baramulla, Nizamuddin Bhat from Bandipora, Bushan Dogra from Suchetgarh, Ashok Bhagat from Akhnoor and JKPCC working president Tara Chand from Chhamb.