Bangalore : The Congress on Wednesday released its manifesto ahead of the May 5 polls promising 30 kg of rice at Re one per kg for BPL families, a slew of subsidies besides a one-time loan waiver scheme for loans obtained from Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backwards Classes, women and minorities development corporations.

The last among the main political parties to release its manifesto, the Congress has made an attempt to stay one step ahead of the principal opponent, the BJP.

The Congress has committed itself to providing 30 kg of rice per month at Re one per kg for BPL families. The BJP in its manifesto, released last week, had promised 25 kg rice at Re one per kg. The Congress has also promised interest-free loans to farmers up to Rs two lakh, free laptops to pre-university students and Rs 1,500 crore natural calamity relief fund.

The manifesto released by senior Congress leader and Defence Minister A K Antony promises to provide a clean, stable, transparent, people-caring and corruption-free government if voted to power.

The highest number of promises in the 23-page manifesto is for the agriculture sector with the party stating that a high-powered statutory state agricultural prices commission comprising experts and farmers to fix prices for agricultural products would be set up. It has promised continuous three-phase quality power to farmers for eight hours per day.

The party has promised to increasing the subsidy for dairy farmers from Rs 2 to Rs 4 per litre, 75 per cent subsidy for solar energy run irrigation pumpsets up to 10 HP, 75 per cent subsidy for rain water harvesting, financial assistance of Rs 15,000 for construction of toilets and 100 per cent subsidy for drip irrigation.

Illegal mining

Interestingly, the Congress manifesto is silent its stand on illegal mining and implementing the Lokayukta report on illegal mining. KPCC president G Parameshwara and Congress Legislature party leader Siddaramaiah contended that the party had not referred to the illegal mining in the manifesto as the CBI is probing the issue.

Parameshwara said the Congress government, if elected to power, would establish fast track courts to try terrorism-related cases and heinous crimes on women and children, and also constitute a state-level committee under the chairmanship of a retired high court judge to look into cases of detention implicating innocent individuals in terrorism related cases. “This manifesto is not a pamphlet of false promises. It shall not talk about what is not practical or implementable. It is a reiteration of our commitment to the cause of masses”, Parameshwara said.

Antony said it will be the responsibility of the Congress to establish a high-powered committee to execute and supervise the implementation of all programmes mentioned in the manifesto.