Mangaluru : Heeding the growing demand for formation of ward committees and area sabhas as mandated by the high court and by local and civic groups, the Congress included it in its manifesto for the forthcoming Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) polls that was released by former chief minister Siddaramaiah, here on Wednesday.

The manifesto also lays emphasis on the monthly Jan Sampark meets to redress public grievances, apart from an assurance to reviewing the allegedly unilateral decision by MCC officials to hike drinking water tariff.

There is just one operative word between the two national party’s slogans to differentiate them. While BJP’s resolve is to make the city ‘Swachh, sundara, suvyavasthitha Namma Kudla(clean, beautiful and orderly city),’’ the Congress slogan is ‘Swachh, sundara, samrudha Mangaloorigaagi magadomme Congress (Vote for Congress for a clean, beautiful and prosperous city).

Former chief minister Siddaramaiah, while replying to queries, claimed the city corporation had been given close to Rs 5,300 crore by the Congress government, while the BJP was till harping about the Rs 200 crore special grants that chief minister B S Yediyurappa gave for concretizing the city roads. “During the 2013 polls, the BJP had no answer to the development carried out by us or on our manifesto. Otherwise, is there any reason for them to fight polls on emotive issues rather than development. This shows we have worked and fulfilled our manifesto assurances,’’ said Siddaramaiah. Dinesh Gundurao, KPCC president, claimed that more than 95% of the assurances have been fulfilled.

The manifesto has 19 sub-heads which lists the works that will be taken up on priority under drinking water, roads and footpaths, UGD, transportation, solid waste management, health, markets development, development of tourism, ports and fisheries, Smart City projects, welfare of women, child and senior citizens, e-governance, housing, management of stormwater drains, environment protection, street lighting, sports and comprehensive development of the city.