Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a Congress leader, issued a women's manifesto on Wednesday ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, vowing that women will receive 40% of the 20 lakh new jobs.
She also stated in her six-point manifesto, titled 'Shakti Vidhan,' that if the Congress wins power in the state, she will ensure that 50% of all ration shops are managed and run by women, 25% of all police jobs are reserved for women, and women will receive free medical treatment for any disease up to INR 10 lakhs per family.
Priyanka Gandhi also declared that 40 percent of labour under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) will be reserved and prioritised for women, just days after she revealed that 40 percent of Congress poll tickets would be reserved for women.
'Shiksha' (education), 'Swabhiman' (self-respect), 'Sehat' (health), 'Swawlamban' (self-sufficiency), 'Samman' (respect), 'Suraksha' (security) and 'Samman' (respect) are among the issues mentioned in the manifesto (health).
According to the Congress leader, specific quotas for women in traditionally male-dominated occupations such as public transportation drivers will be set aside at 40% in compliance with existing reserve regulations.
While delivering the manifesto at the Congress office here, she vowed that there will be a government department inside the state labour ministry to ensure humane working conditions for domestic employees.
Businesses that increase the number of female employees to 50% would be aided by suitable incentives, including tax breaks, she added.
Supriya Shrinate, a spokesperson for the Congress, claimed that this is the first women's manifesto produced for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections, with Priyanka Gandhi expecting that it will help her win. She said, "this will not remain the only such manifesto, and there will be pressure on other political parties to take women participation in politics seriously". To increase the female workforce of Uttar Pradesh and reduce gender inequality, the Congress party will ensure 40 per cent of the 20 lakh new jobs it aims to create in the state will be allotted to women in accordance with the existing provisions of reservation”.
Specific quotas for women in conventionally male-centric professions such as drivers of public transportation shall be set aside at 40 per cent in accordance with existing provisions of reservation, the Congress leader said.
According to Priyanka Gandhi, the Congress gave India's first female prime minister, Indira Gandhi, and Uttar Pradesh's first female chief minister, Sucheta Kriplani.
She further said that it was the Congress that gave Panchayati Raj to the country, giving lakhs of women the right to rule their villages and towns.
According to her, the Congress also agreed to a 33% reserve for women in Parliament. "Only some time back, the US got its first woman vice-president, and we had a woman prime minister a long time back," Priyanka Gandhi underlined.
In Uttar Pradesh, the Congress proposed a special fund to give low or no-interest loans and tax refunds to women-owned small companies, as well as a monthly honorarium of INR 10,000 for anganwadi and ASHA workers.
According to the party's women's platform, every girl in the 10+2 standard would be given a smart phone, and every girl enrolled in a graduate programme will be given a scooty.
Indira Dakshata Vidyalayas, modelled after Kendriya Vidyalayas, would be established exclusively for girls in 75 districts across the state. These will be residential schools that will focus on discovering talent, skill development, and vocational training in addition to academic success, according to the statement.
Special job exchanges will be established to encourage and facilitate employment for women, particularly those from marginalised groups. According to the manifesto, funded programmes would be established to teach single moms in various vocations.
It claimed that women will be able to ride for free on all public transportation, allowing them to get to schools, universities, and workplaces. The manifesto further said that 'Mahila chaupals' will be built in every gram panchayat.
Other aspects of the manifesto included free internet for low-income households in order to facilitate access to online classes, as well as free gas cylinders for every lady every year.
She is unsure whether her decision will be mirrored in states dominated by Congress, "I have initiated this here, and I have taken the step since I am the in-charge of UP. Such initiatives should be taken in other states and also where we (Congress) are in the government. I hope that all political parties take this step."
