Mumbai: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday released its manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Monday being an election day, the party put up its manifesto on its website.
Amongst other features, the NCP said it does not support the imposition of a uniform civil code and will endeavour for the enactment of the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill 2013.
Below is the full text of the manifesto:
The Motto of the NCP:
The Nationalist Congress Party is committed for the upkeeping of the democratic secular society wedded to the core principles of equality and social justice and is committed to preserve the unity and integrity of the country. The cardinal principle on which the party is founded is to strengthen India as a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic and to secure to all its citizens Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity assuring the dignity of individual and the unity of the nation as resolved in the preamble of the constitution of India.
Secularism to us means fraternity amongst follower of different faiths, respecting each other's faith and mutual co-operation and harmonious co-existence among the people without any discrimination, bias or prejudice.
By equity and social justice, we mean to ensure equal opportunity for all spheres of life especially for education and skill development with special affirmative action for the deprived section of the society.
Nationalist Congress Party commits itself for the Unity and Integrity of India by strengthening the federal set-up through decentralised functioning of the government and the Rule of Law without any discrimination or prejudice to any religion, caste, creed, community, region, gender or status.
The slogan of Nationalist Congress Party for the coming elections will be a Development Oriented Stable Government with Good Governance and having Transparent & Corruption Free procedures.
Nationalist Congress Party's perspective of development
By development, we mean, peace, progress and harmony dwell together in ensuring the holistic development of the society. The rights of the citizen as embodied in the Constitution are protected and free to exercise. Labour and dignity should complement each other.
The Nationalist Congress Party is committed to enhance the living standard of the common citizen of the country by making his life more comfortable by providing him better avenues of employment, shelter, food, education, medical-aid and other civic amenities.
The Nationalist Congress Party strongly believes that generation of employment opportunities and encouraging individual entrepreneurship would propel the sustainable economic development of the country, benefitting the weaker strata of the Indian society.
Food Security Bill:
It is pertinent to note that due to relentless persistence of the Union Agriculture Ministry and the Nationalist Congress Party, the dream of providing subsidized food grain through Public Distribution System at affordable price to the targeted population in the country was conceptualized in the form of implementing the Food Security Act 2013.
The Nationalist Congress Party is committed to ensure that the benefits of Food Security Act 2013 are derived by needy and the deserving people of the country without any flaw in implementation mechanism. It is gratifying to note that a substantial part of Indian Populace viz. about 81 Crore people will receive wheat at the rate of Rs 2/- per kg and rice at the rate of Rs 3/- kg under the scheme.
The Agricultural Ministry being aware that the Food Security Bill can only be implemented in word and spirit, when the requirements of the food grains are complimented by the production and as such efforts to boost the production were implemented and production of food grain increased significantly thereby maintaining equilibrium between the production and distribution as needed under the scheme.
The UPA regime to its credit has the distinction of making the country, number one in the world, in terms of export of rice. The growth in agricultural productivity during the tenure of UPA-I and UPA-II's ten years rule is as follows:
- The production of Rice has increased from 83 million tonnes to 104 million tonnes.
- The production of Wheat has increased from 68 million tonnes to 92 million tonnes.
- The production of Sugar Cane has increased from 237 million tonnes to 341 million tonnes.
National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS):
Employment generation and creation of productive assets in rural areas is one of the key factors in targeting poverty. Taking this into consideration, National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) was implemented. It aims to guarantee the 'right to work' and ensure livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do manual work.
Right to Information Act:
The UPA Government in its commitment to give transparent and accountable governance, had enacted the "Right To Information Act". This Act has empowered citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities.
The enactment of RTI Act has been a commendable achievement in enforcing transparency and accountability in governance and related matters. The tool of RTI has been instrumental in taking matters to their logical conclusions.
Reforms:
The Sachar Committee recommendations have been seriously examined in relation to providing educational facilities, scholarships and other financial assistance to the neglected minorities, especially the Muslim Minorities.
The suggestions made by the Committee by far have been substantially implemented and the Nationalist Congress Party is seriously committed to work in the direction of promoting the backward minorities of the country and to bring them into the national mainstream.
Nationalist Congress Party was the first party to welcome the recommendation and Shri Sharad Pawarji had taken the initiative to get the recommendation implemented without delay Nationalist Congress Party is of opinion that all the Sachar Committee recommendations including job reservation to Muslim candidates should be implemented within a stipulated time frame.
The introduction of 27% reservation for students of other Backward Communities (OBC) in all institution of higher education will provide equal opportunities in the field of education to all. Implementation of universal primary education will help the rural poor to get better means of livelihood and a better standard of living.
Agriculture Development:
The Nationalist Congress Party shall endeavour to:
- Privatisation of agriculture and price protection of farmers in the post QR (Quantitative Restrictions) regime would be part of the government's strategy to synergise agricultural growth.
- Private sector participation would be promoted through contract farming and land leasing arrangements to allow accelerated technology transfer, capital inflow, assured markets for crop production especially of oilseeds, cotton and horticultural crops.
- Evolving a 'National Livestock Breeding Strategy' to meet the requirement of milk, meat, egg and livestock products and to enhance the role of draught animals as a source of energy for farming operations.
- High priority would be accorded to evolve new location-specific and economically viable improved varieties of farm and horticulture crops, livestock species and aquaculture.
- The restrictions on the movement of agricultural commodities throughout the country would be progressively dismantled.
- Effective Insurance policy will be floated covering entire Agriculture sector.
- The structure of taxes on food grains and other commercial crops would be reviewed.
- Nationalist Congress Party will extend debt waiver to landless agriculture labourer and other weaker sections of the society like schedule castes, schedule tribes and other backward communities as provided by the UPA government to farmers and fishermen.
- Extend debt waiver to landless agriculture labourer and other weaker sections of the society like schedule castes, schedule tribes and other backward communities as provided by the UPA government to farmers and fishermen.
Centre State relation:
The Constitution of India is federal in nature but is more unitary in character. Centre-State relations, i.e. the arrangements between the Union Government and the States in regard to their powers, functions and responsibilities, have always been a crucial issue. Hence in this regard further strengthening our federal system is necessity. To achieve this Nationalist Congress Party will strive to:
- Frame more effective policy to have better revenue sharing pattern between centre and the states. Central surcharges and cesses to be made a part of the divisible pool.
- Take steps in determining the terms of reference of the Finance Commission, the views of the States will be taken into account. Any difference of views on the terms of reference should be settled in the Inter-State Council. Adequate representation of the States will be made in the Finance Commission.
- Adopt measures for effective sharing of information, intelligence, expertise, skill in various fields.
- Take measures to provide genuine financial autonomy to the states.
- To restrict the use of Article 356 only to cases where there is a serious threat to national unity or the secular fabric of the country.
- Adopt measures to grant sufficient funds in timely manner to states for all Centrally Sponsored Schemes under the State subject, as well as those under panchayats and municipalities.
Communalism:
The Nationalist Congress Party shall endeavour:
- To promote and protect rights of persons belonging to ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities which shall contribute to the political and social stability.
- To promote and protect rights of persons belonging to the ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities as an integral part of the development of the society and within the democratic framework based on rule of law, which would strengthen trust and co-operation amongst the minority and the mainstream.
- To promote and protect rights of persons belonging to ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities to ensure that they are free to practice their own religion, enjoy their culture and use their language without any discrimination.
Corruption
The Nationalist Congress Party shall exert to:
- To promote and strengthen measures to prevent and combat corruption more efficiently and effectively;
- To promote, facilitate and support central-state cooperation and technical assistance in the prevention of and fight against corruption, including in asset recovery;
- To promote integrity, accountability and proper management of public affairs and public property.
- Increasing and disseminating knowledge about the prevention of corruption.
- To adopt, maintain and strengthen systems for the recruitment, hiring, retention, promotion and retirement of government servants and where appropriate other non-elected public officials, that are based on principles of efficiency, transparency and objective criteria such as merit, equity and aptitude.
- To include adequate procedures for the selection and training of individuals for public positions considered especially vulnerable to corruption and the rotation, where appropriate, of such individuals to other positions.
- To promote adequate remuneration and equitable pay scales, taking into account the level of economic development of the State Party.
- To promote education and training programmes to enable them to meet the requirements for the correct, honourable and proper performance of public responsibilities and that provide them with specialized and appropriate training to enhance their awareness of the risks of corruption inherent in the performance of their responsibilities.
- To establish measures and systems requiring public officials to make declarations to appropriate authorities regarding, inter alia, their outside activities, employment, investments, assets and substantial gifts or benefits from which a conflict of interest may result with respect to their functions as public officials.
- To take the necessary steps to establish appropriate systems of procurement, based on transparency, competition and objective criteria in decision-making, that are effective, inter alia, in preventing corruption.
- The public distribution of information relating to procurement procedures and contracts, including information on invitations to tender and relevant or pertinent information on the award of contracts, allowing potential tenderers sufficient time to prepare and submit their tenders.
- The establishment, in advance, of conditions for participation, including selection and award criteria and tendering rules, and their publication.
- To take appropriate measures to promote transparency and accountability in the management of public finances.
Development:
- The Nationalist Congress Party is of the view that sustained economic growth is essential for expanding the resource base for development and hence for economic, technical and social transformation. It generates the required financial, physical, human and technological resources. It is also essential for the eradication of poverty.
- Therefore the Party is committed to form an open and equitable framework for trade, investment and technology transfer, as well as enhanced cooperation in the management of a globalized world economy and in the formulation and implementation of macroeconomic and microeconomic policies, critical for the promotion of growth and development.
- Nationalist Congress Party believes that the Government has an active and essential role in the formulation of economic, social and environmental policies and the private sector is a motor for economic growth. Therefore the Party shall reinforce the relationship between the Government and the Private Sector for achieving the goal of sustainable development.
- Nationalist Congress Party shall thrive to achieve the goal of bringing improvement in the quality of life of the countrymen. This involves the eradication of poverty, the fulfilment of the basic needs of all people and the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to development.
- Nationalist Congress Party shall apply active social and environmental policies and promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms.
- Nationalist Congress Party will endeavour to take steps for formation of world class constitutional research centre in the name of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar as a tribute to this Chief architect of Indian Constitution.
- The Party shall promote investments in health, education and training in the development of human resources and pursue in such a way that everyone, both women and men, are given an equal opportunity to participate actively and productively in the development process.
- The Party shall adopt a multidimensional approach to development. The formulation of strategies, policies and agenda would be district focussed and based on an integrated & comprehensive approach.
Disaster management:
- Nationalist Congress party will adopt better and broader national vision to build a safe and disaster-resilient India by developing a holistic, proactive, multi-disaster and technology-driven strategy for Disaster Management.
- The process will be achieved through a culture of prevention, mitigation and preparedness to generate a prompt and efficient response at the time of disasters.
- In line with Hyogo Framework of Action 2005-15 - Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters the Nationalist Congress party will ensure that entire process of Disaster Management will centre-stage the community and will be provided momentum and sustenance through the collective efforts of all government agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations'. This is also in the light of past experience and latest natural calamity of snow fall widely affecting farmers.
- The Nationalist Congress Party will adopt measures to prepare data base of existing settlements which will be of great help to impart speedy ex-gratia to affected areas which is comparatively slower due to post hazard panchnama delays.
- Nationalist Congress Party will continue to evolve with suitable and scientific measures to cope with the repeated flood situations and erosion problems in Bihar, Assam and neighbouring States.
- Efforts will be taken to implement more effective programmes to provide necessary and prompt relief & rehabilitation measures to the affected people by National Disaster Management Committee.
- Efforts will be taken to Interlink our National rivers as a means of controlling the flooding of rivers.
Education:
- The Nationalist Congress Party, shall thrive to its optimum efficacy in ensuring children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of secondary schooling and that girls and boys will have equal access to all levels of education.
- Nationalist Congress Party shall make endeavour to focus on English Language education along with regional languages to meet international competition and standards for the young generation.
Environment protection:
- Nationalist Congress Party will take effective measures to implement Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to combat with the recent climate change and disasters.
- Nationalist Congress Party will strive to take steps for better forest management without affecting rights of tribal and forest dwelling communities.
- Nationalist Congress party does not believes in Development at the cost of Environment.
- Development programmes would be implemented in such a way that in process of development, the concern of environment protection are taken cognisance of.
- A National Bio-diversity law would be enacted with special care to help, protect the Traditional Knowledge of the local and tribal communities and connected intellectual property rights.
- Effective measures will be adopted to combat water pollution and cleaning of rivers across the country will be carried strategically.
Employment:
- New measures to assist small businesses, create private sector jobs, increase public investments in infrastructure, science, technology and research; focus on swiftly bringing individuals back into labour market to avoid skills and labour mismatches.
- More employment opportunities would be generated in Agricultural sector by revitalisation the sector resorting to prompt remedial measures to the farmers problem.
- Employment oriented domestic industries would be strengthened.
- Proactive creations of employment opportunities including self employment in all sector inclusive of industries, trade & services would also be encouraged.
- To create additional employment in the Manufacturing and Service sectors.
Energy:
- Our energy shortage had to be addressed with priority. We have to give more importance to non conventional energy.
- Unless and until substantial budgetary provision is made by the Union government and state government as well as encourage private investment for generation of energy, the gap between the demand and supply in the energy sector cannot be eliminated.
- We will give necessary help to harness solar energy. Similarly, we shall encourage harnessing of Wind Energy for which there is a great scope in our country.
- Instead of depending entirely on foreign countries for nuclear material supply for our nuclear plant, we should have long term but specific plans for developing thorium, which we have in abundance in our country for nuclear power generation in the place of uranium.
- Effective Rural Electrification programme to be carried out.
Eradication of poverty:
- The Nationalist Congress Party shall endeavour all effort to free our fellow countrymen, women and children from the abject and dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty, to which a substantially large cache of population are currently subjected.
- The Party is committed to making the right to development a reality for everyone. The Party shall thrive to create an environment at the state and national level, which is conducive to development and to the elimination of poverty.
- Massive resource allocation for beneficiary oriented asset creation and income generating programme would be continued.
- Organised and prioritised expenditure would be sanctioned to meet the basic minimum needs like drinking water supply and construction of roads as a part of employment guarantee scheme.
- The Party shall create avenue for developing strong partnerships between the Government and private sector and other civil society organizations in pursuit of development and poverty eradication.
Finance:
- The Nationalist Congress Party shall promote a supportive environment for the private sector, including active competition policies, the application of the rule of law, an open framework for trade and investment and sound fiscal and monetary policies. In the area of finance, policies to promote domestic savings and to attract external resources for productive investment would be encouraged
For both purposes, the Party shall make efforts to improve the efficiency of domestic financial markets. While addressing the needs of people living in poverty and the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of society, and the creation of more and better jobs, attention would be rendered to conducive macroeconomic policies and to such issues as human resources development, gender equality, public participation and social integration.
- The Party considers social and environmental factors as important elements to be taken into account in the formulation and implementation of macroeconomic and microeconomic policies.
- Particular attention would be paid to the effect of structural adjustment programmes on people living in poverty and on disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of society.
Formation of new states:
- Considering the problem of regional disparities and the popular agitation for the creation of a separate States in that region arises then such demands for the formation of a new state will be supported by the party if it is found economically viable and is supported by local people's sentiment in majority.
We support the Legitimate demand of the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands for statehood and full state status for Delhi.
Foregin Policy:
- To have better foreign policy Nationalist Congress Party will strive to adopt policy based on factors like People (identity, values, aspirations and skills), History (circumstances, opportunities and constraints of the past) and Geography- (location, resources and neighbourhood).
- Nationalist Congress Party will strive to take efforts to achieve comprehensive and equitable solutions to all problems including development and poverty eradication, climate change, terrorism, piracy, disarmament, peace building and peacekeeping, human rights.
- Nationalist Congress Party will ensure "Zero tolerance" approach to terrorism in all its forms.
- Nationalist Congress Party will not support any form of unprovoked aggression either military or economic, against any other country.
- To Maintain an Independent Indian position on all world affairs and play proactive role of peace messenger to the world.
- Ensure universal non- discriminatory nuclear disarmament.
- Ensure better relations with all our neighbours and resolve all disputes through peaceful negotiations.
- Nationalist Congress Party will endeavour steps to strengthen diplomatic ties to ensure membership for India in the Security Council.
Girl child protection and women empowerment:
- The Nationalist Congress Party shall exert to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women as effective ways to combat poverty, hunger and disease and to stimulate development that is sustainable.
- The Party is committed to combat all forms of violence against Girl Child and Women.
- To combat discrimination and change illogical & ill- conceived notion of girl child Nationalist Congress Party will endeavour to encourage and continue support to girl child parents from weaker sections of society by imparting upon a special programme by extending various monetary incentives to parents having a female child.
- Special schemes in this regard like Sukanya Yojana floated by State Government of Maharashtra will be adopted and extended throughout the country. - As a result of such incentive girl child will no longer be treated as a burden but will be considered as arrival of Lakshmi. Thus survival, protection and development of a girl child would be ensured.
- Nationalist Congress Party firmly believes in women empowerment, who constitute almost 50 per cent of the Indian population.
- The Party firmly beliefs that the empowerment of women and their full participation on a basis of equality in all spheres of society is fundamental for development and hence encourages power sharing with women.
- The Party commits itself for the improvement of the role and status of women, including their empowerment, which is central to all efforts to achieve sustainable development in its economic, social and environmental dimensions.
- Nationalist Congress Party believes that honour, respect and dignity of women must be sustained at all costs and they should be totally emancipated from exploitation, fear and sense of insecurity.
- During the UPA-II regime and more particularly after Nirbhaya case in Delhi which shook the conscience of the entire nation it was felt necessary to take firm corrective steps to protect women from sexual harassment. UPA-II with the direction and aid of hon'ble Supreme Court and after taking expert legal advise and suggestion enacted The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (prevention, prohibition and redressal) Act 2013.
- Nationalist Congress Party firmly believes in implementation and adherence to specific guidelines to protect the person of working women in accordance with the guideline provided by Hon'ble Apex Court in "Vishaka" case reported in AIR 1997 S.C 3011.
- Due representation to women in all decision making position in the executive and judiciary at all levels would be ensured . Nationalist Congress party will extend full support to enactment of bill for Women's Reservation in Parliament.
Health and nutrition:
The Nationalist Congress Party, shall make sincere efforts to;
- Reduce the maternal mortality and child mortality rates of their current rates.
- To implement policies for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS.
- Construction of Multi Specilaity Hospitals in all districts of country .
Upgradationof Equipments and Technolgy in Government and Semi Government Hospitals.
- Primary health centres would be provided with necessary doctors, staff and medical equipments and regular medicine supply.
- To encourage the pharmaceutical industry to make life saving drugs more widely available and affordable by all who need them.
- A new public health policy recognising the health rights of the people in general and the marginalized sections in particular would be introduced.
- Food security for those belonging to weaker sections of the society to continue. Strengthening of Midday meals programme for school going children and Comprehensive schemes to combat malnutrition among the children.
- Promotion of Generic medicine and to endeavour to make Life saving medicine available at affordable rates.
Human resource development
- The basic requirement of human development is education. Every steps should be taken to improve the employability of our youths. General education should be made employment oriented.
- The following guidelines will be followed:
1. Speedy and effective implementation of the universalization of primary education, vocationalisation of secondary education and modernisation of higher education, so as to improve the employability of students, enable them to take up self employment schemes and to improve their expertise.
2. Equal opportunity for student of all sections to get educated in prestigious institution of higher education.
3. Infrastructure facilities for imparting universal primary education in each and every village.
4. Sufficient numbers of scholarships should be awarded for students of SC/ST and OBC categories.
5. Reservation of seats and scholarships should be awarded to students of economically backward section of the upper class communities.
6. Science and technology should be given its due importance in the system of our education.
Housing:
- Nationalist Congress Party will endeavour to promote low cost housing for the poor.
- Nationalist Congress Party will extend Indira AwaasYojana and Rajiv Awaas Yojana to the targeted population.
- Nationalist Congress Party will endeavour by 2030, to achieve a significant improvement in the lives of majority slum dwellers by rehabilitating them & providing affordable accommodation and realize the dream of making the major cities in the country as "Cities Without Slums".
Industries and manufacturing growth
The Nationalist Congress Party shall exert
- To promote growth of manufacturing industry by facilitating financial, infrastructural and policy support and implement the National Manufacturing Policy.
- To sustain Industrial and Economic growth by facilitating accelerated flow of investment to meet the growing market competition in the world economy.
- To facilitate foreign investment and to coordinate faster implementation of investment approvals.
- Financial and marketing assistance will be provided for export oriented industries.
- Encouragement to small scale industrial enterprises would be significantly improved by providing them meaningful and smooth access to credit and technology.
- Traditional sector industries like Khadi and villages industry would be strengthened by special support with steady supply of raw materials , upgraded technologies, diversification of products , marketing linkages and craftsman training.
- To facilitate development of Industries in North East and other special category States.
- To improve intellectual property regime consistent with international commitments and increase output and efficiency in Trade Mark and Patent Offices.
- To initiate measures towards procedural changes to make functioning of the Various Departments more transparent and responsive.
- To create a sound information base of macroeconomic indicators of industrial production and prices.
- To upgrade traditional handicraft industries like brassware & metal ware , coir making, agarbatti making, leather and footwear making, small textile units etc.
- Disinvestments would be made on specific norms only and the procedure would be made more transparent. Also PSUs of strategic importance would not be disinvested.
Internal security and terrorism:
The Nationalist Congress Party shall strive
- To ensure that criminal acts, in particular where they are intended or committed to provoke a state of terror in the general public or in a group of persons or particular persons, are under no circumstances justifiable by considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or other similar nature and are punished by penalties consistent with their grave nature.
- To prohibit illegal activities of persons, groups and organizations that encourage, instigate, organize, knowingly finance or knowingly provide technical assistance or information or engage in the perpetration of those offences.
- Promote international cooperation by co-opting foreign and domestic expertise for developing capacity, monitoring movements of terrorist leaders, and sharing information and knowledge with them.
- To develop capabilities for covert and overt operations on terrorist locations.
- To put in place calibrated and well defined decision-making process and ensure accountability at various levels.
- To put in place strong 'Immediate Response' mechanism and tailor-made terrorism prevention and incident management drills for each metro city.
- To immediately undertaking vulnerability assessment to identify areas and establishments requiring necessary security measures.
- To incorporate private sector and civil society into India's war on terror.
A long-term solution that ensures India's rapid economic growth that is inclusive and sustainable for its largely rural population would be promoted.
- To take steps towards addressing the issues of land reforms and redistribution to prevent the spread of naxalism to the vast tribal areas.
- To Upgrade education, healthcare, and general infrastructure at the village level.
- On the security front, the Party shall make efforts to upgrade intelligence infrastructure, rural and urban policing and inter-linkages while seeking local solutions to local instabilities.
- To revamp the intelligence structure both quantitatively in numerical strength, and qualitatively in a multi-faceted multi-dimensional manner to improve the country's capabilities to collect terrorist-related intelligence.
- The intelligence agencies must turn professional and avoid bureaucratic approach.
- Intelligence information would be efficiently converted to 'actionable' and reach the right 'actioning element' speedily.
- Build a professional modern police unit free from extraneous pressures in all states and as well as the Central police forces.
- Recruitment to the police would be taken up on priority basis and in a fair manner.
- Strengthen cordial police-community relations.
- Build 'intelligence led' policing as a strategy.
- Nationalist Congress Party vows to solve the problem of insurgency by ending regional imbalance that is being continued in the north eastern States and Assam.
Labour:
- Keeping effective population control measures we believe that our existing population is not our weakness as it was once envisaged but is in itself our strength. The belief is based on perception that huge population offers a bigger pool of human resource to cater the country and also to fulfil the skilled and unskilled labour requirements of other countries making Indians omnipresent in the world. The Nationalist Congress Party shall thrive for Enhancing Welfare and Social Security Provisions for Unorganised Sector Workers.
- Taking steps for enactment of an independent law for part time employees.
- Providing Social Security to Organized Sector Workers.
- Eliminating Child Labour from Hazardous Occupations and Processes.
- Promoting Skill Development.
- Strengthening Employment Services.
- Prevention and Settlement of Industrial Disputes and Strengthening Labour Laws Enforcement Machinery.
- Improving Safety Conditions and Safety of Workers.
- Existing special laws and legal provision giving protection to women labourers would be closely monitored.
- To promote Harmonious Relations between Labour and Management and to regulate Wages and other Conditions of Work in the Central Sphere.
- To ensure Speedy Implementation of Labour Law Awards, Agreements, Code of Discipline etc. for improving Industrial Relations, with regard to units in which Central Government is the Appropriate Government.
- To conduct Evaluatory Studies of Implementation of Labour Laws, Industrial Relations, Personnel Policies and Practices etc. in Public Sector Undertakings.
- To regulate Working Conditions and Safety in Mines and Factories.
- To provide Amenities to Workers employed in the Mining Industry and Beedi Manufacturing.
- To monitor the running of Social Security Schemes viz .Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).
- Social security scheme to cover all the unorganized labour would be introduced.
- To promote Harmonious Relations between Labour and Management and to regulate Wages and other Conditions of Work in the Central Sphere.
- To lay down policy framework for National Employment Service and implementation of National Vocational Training Programme.
- To conduct programmes relating to employment potential of SC and ST candidates through coaching, guidance and training.
- To sensitize all sections of the workers for their active participation in social and economic development of the nation.
- Productivity enhancement and skill up gradation as element of legally negotiated labour management agreement would be encouraged.
Minorities
- NCP doesn't support imposition of uniform civil code and believes in representing the personal codes of respective minority communities so long as such codes or any of their provision are not in conflict with the constitution of India.
- NCP assures appropriate representation for minorities in public services sector and in Government and Semi-Government establishments.
- Nationalist Congress party will endeavour for enactment of The Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill 2013.
- Nationalist Congress party will continue to extend more scholarship in all levels of education to minority community students and will do further strengthening & financial restructuring of Maulana Azad Education Foundation .
- Nationalist Congress Party was the first party in the UPA to welcome the Sachar Committee Recommendation and Shri Sharad Pawarji had taken the initiative to get recommendation being implemented without delay . We are of the opinion that all the recommendations including job reservation to Muslim candidates should be implemented within a stipulated time frame.
- Effective measures to be adopted for implementation of Justice Ranganath Misra Commission Report.
- Nationalist Congress party will ensure better management and protection of Waqf properties.
National security:
- The Nationalist Congress Party rededicates itself to support all efforts to uphold the sovereignty of the Country, respect for its territorial integrity and political independence and non-interference of other Countries in the internal affairs of India.
- The Nationalist Congress Party will endeavour to formulate a comprehensive National Security Strategy (NSS) after carrying out an inter-departmental, inter-agency, multi-disciplinary strategic defence review. So that various stakeholders take ownership of the strategy and work unitedly to achieve its aims and objectives. The global and regional situation is dynamic, hence the National Security Strategy document will be revised periodically.
- To take effective measures to achieve civil and military balance in decision making and enhancing the institutional competencies in the security sector.
- To take measures for more effective implementation and transparent Defence Procurement Procedure and the Defence Production Policy .
- Major defence procurement and High-priority acquisitions will be provided required extensive budgetary support.
- The central police and para-military forces (CPMFs) will be more modernised and better trained.
- Ensuring coordinate operation of defence services and maintaining long term alert on our National Border.
- Taking vigilant and sustained diplomatic action for ensuring protection of National Security and territorial integrity of the country .
- Establishment of a permanent Pay Commission for Defence Personnel and providing more better service conditions.
Panchayatraj
- Effective strengthening of flagship programmes of the UPA like National Rural Health Mission, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan for primary education, the Midday Meals Programme, and the Integrated Child Development Scheme.
- Ensure that Panchayats achieve standards that meet norms set out for public accountability including public financial accountability, both upward as well as downward to the people. This would particularly cover responsibilities and obligations under various legislations such as those relating to Right to Information, Social Audit, and Fiscal Responsibility.
- Incentivise panchayats to be transparent in their transactions and accountable to their respective Gram Sabhas.
- Focus to Increase rural employment including the provision of an unique social safety net in the shape of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme. In this programme NREGA works are being taken up at the Village Panchayat level.
- Farm wages will be reviewed and revised accordingly.
- Increased credit availability, particularly to farmers and others, and offering them remunerative prices for their crops;
- Increased public spending on education & health care and offering scholarships to the needy.
- Empowering the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, other backward classes, minorities, women and children in social, economical and educational spheres.
- Ensuring that, through public investment, the growth process spreads to backward regions and districts of our country.
- To achieve Bharat Nirman targets and the National Millennium Development Goals. rural roads, irrigation, electricity distribution, housing for the poor, drinking water supply and telecommunications will be put on the fast track. These are the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana for roads, the Accelerated Irrigation Development Progamme, the Accelerated Rural Drinking Water Supply Programme, The Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana for rural electricity distribution, the Indira Awas Yojana for rural .
- Further Strengthening of Backward Regions Grant Fund programme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
Promotion of Arts and Culture
Culture plays an important role in the development of a nation. It represents a set of shared attitudes, values, goals and practices. Culture and Creativity manifest themselves in almost all economic, social and other activities. A country as diverse as India is symbolised by the plurality of its culture. India has world's largest collection of songs, music, dance, theatre, folk traditions, performing arts, rites and rituals, paintings and writings that are known, as the "Intangible Cultural Heritage"(ICH)of humanity.
In order to preserve these Nationalist Congress Party will implement a number of schemes and programmes aimed at providing financial support to individuals, groups and cultural organizations engaged in performing, visual and literary arts etc.
Reforms:
Educational reforms
The Nationalist Congress Party shall endeavour:
- To Inculcate the national feeling and enabling the student to develop a national vision as an important aspect of education. The knowledge of the history, tradition, values and the world view together shape the national vision of the individual. The pupil must be made to understand the basis of our national unity and uniqueness of our culture. Inputs necessary for the learner to imbibe a sense of national pride would be included in the curriculum.
At the primary level, prevention of dropouts would become a matter of top priority. From this point of view, designing a detailed and in-depth study of the causes of dropout would become the very first step of a long-term planning in this direction.
- Immediate action would be to include extending necessary facilities and providing right incentives to the young learners as well as to the teaching fraternity.
- If there is one singular factor, which is of utmost importance in primary education, it is the imparting of education in the mother tongue or the regional language. The content of education would be made relevant to the needs of day-to-day life. The curriculum would be indigenous and within the comprehension of both the teacher and the taught.
- At the secondary level, The vocational stream would be strengthened. Respect for manual work and dignity of labour must be inculcated. The course content and pedagogy need to be connected with local and regional needs so as to develop an appropriate indigenous technology for 'development' and social change.
- Skills like communication skills, logical skills, comprehension skills, creative skills, information technology, and management skills must get priority over mere book learning.
- Liberalisation and deregulation of the education system to encourage promotion of new schools, colleges, vocational and other institutions of higher education is a must.
- Legislation relating to universities and the rules and regulations under them have remained substantially unchanged for the past 100 years. They would be simplified, rationalised for improving performance, efficiency and ensuring accountability.
- Colleges with a track record of competence should be given the autonomy to prescribe their own curriculum, conduct examinations, and award degrees.
- Teacher training programmes should be sharply upgraded so that teachers have knowledge, skills as well as managerial competence.
- Contemporary understanding of how children learn needs to be brought in to help teachers experience this understanding. Government and the private sector should attract bright people into teaching. There is a dearth of talent in the teaching profession. If this means mandating higher salaries, so be it.
- Schools/ teachers who deliver better results on the redesigned assessment system of the boards and impart genuine learning and achievement would be celebrated and rewarded.
Electoral reforms:
- The Nationalist Congress Party has already sent its suggestion and proposals to the Chief Election Commission for reforms in electoral system . India being the largest democracy in the world with parliamentary system, holding of free and fair election at all levels is extremely important and is a daunting task. Nationalist Congress Party has extended its fullest cooperation to the election commission to eliminate Unfair and corrupt practices in conduct of general elections. Various reforms have been separately suggested by the parties to the CEC ,in this regard recently.
- Nationalist Congress Party will take efforts to enact legislation for cleansing of politics and electoral process.
- Nationalist Congress Party will adopt effective measures to curb criminalization and the influence of money power in election process.
Judicial reforms:
- "Justice delayed is justice denied" is the maxim visibly felt in our vast country with enormous backlog of litigation . From the highest court to the lowest courts pendency of large number of cases has been a matter of serious concern .
- NCP proposes to take a various issues for significant Judicial Reforms with the Law Commission of India. These issues include proportionate growth in the number of Judges and Courts with the target of 50 Judges for million people, and better service condition for judges and courts staff. Total computerisation of functioning of all courts including the lower courts.
- Effective implementation of E-Courts Project.
- The following steps would be taken so as to facilitate the speedy disposal of the cases in the courts with proper consensus building with Supreme Court and respective High Courts.
1. Standardized manpower norms would be laid down for provision of judicial personnel to ensure speedy dispensation of justice by improving the judge -population ratio.
2. The Chief Justice would be made the administration head of the judicial services.
3. An all India Judicial Service Commission for the selection and appointment of Judges and other Judicial service personnel would be established .
4. Make Supreme Court more accessible by implementing the 2009 Law Commission Recommendation that the highest court in the country be split into a Constitution Bench in New Delhi and Causation Benches in the Four Regions to deal with all the appellate work arising out of High Court decisions . Though the Supreme Court has expressed reservation about such radical restructuring , Parliament should give greater weight to the public interest involved in sparing litigants the trouble of approaching Capital from distant States .
5. Enact laws on judicial appointments and Accountability .
Social justice and empowerment:
- Diversion of resources away from social priorities and needs would be avoided and where it has occurred, it will be corrected.
- Basic social programmes and expenditures, in particular those affecting people living in poverty and the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of society, would be protected from budget reductions.
- When formulating and implementing structural adjustment policies and programmes such considerations would be taken into account.
Social security/justice:
- Time bound schemes for making drinking water , electricity available to all villages.
- Strengthening of Public distribution system .
- Minimum requirement of food supply should be through PDS outlet to all the needy irrespective of poverty line.
- Comprehensive housing scheme for rehabilitation of dwellers of slums , bastis and tribal colonies provided with drinking water, electricity , health care and education institution should be implemented.
- Nationalist Congress party will endeavour for effective implementation of Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. Measures will be taken to rehabilitate these families and to bring them in the flow of common society with all rights and dignity.
- Reservation for the socially and economically backward section of the society including SCs and STs in higher and professional education as well as in Government services and a Public Undertakings as a means of ensuring due share for such sections in the running of administration would be introduced .
- Efforts also will be made to provide reservation on the pattern of SC/ST to communities like nomadic tribes , shepherds and so on. At the same time due care will be taken that will not affects our previous commitments to SC/ST and OBC communities.
- Reservation will be provided to weaker sections of the society, like Muslims and Marathas etc, in education, job, and government services . Financial assistance will also be pro vided to them for education and self employment . But due care will be taken that this will not affect the existing facilities that are provided to SC/ST, OBC and other sections of the society.
Scheduled Castes and Schedule Tribes:
- Full flow of funds for special component plan for the Schedule Castes ( SCP) & for the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) would be ensured.
- Increase in overseas scholarship to students from Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Community.
- Poverty alleviation program would be prioritised for more intensive implementation in areas of concentration of SCs and STs.
- Habitation with concentration of SCs & STs would be identified to provide for special drive to provide safe drinking water, primary health care , primary education and shelter.
- Special recruitment drives will be organised on priority to fill all reserved post and further periodic review will be carried .
- An exclusive commission for schedule Castes and schedule Tribes with constitutional status would be established .
- Job reservation should be provided for by legislation for the SC/ ST people in all the private institution as well.
- Reservation of seats in higher educational institution and for jobs should be extended to those coverts from SC/ST section to other religions.
OBCs:
- Scholarship at various levels of education would be instituted for securing educational advancement of OBCs .
- 27 per cent reservation introduced for students of OBC communities should be implemented in all institution of higher education.
- Pre-examination coaching introduced for student of OBC communities would be strengthened so as to facilitate their recruitment in to public services easier.
- Up gradation of the traditional skills in certain employments like weaving , pottery , metal work , stone cutting and so on would be introduced.
Senior Citizens:
- With our life expectancy getting improved , the number of aged people in our society is also increasing . Sense of dependency and destitution is developing amongst the old. They should be helped to live a life of dignity and helped feel a valued part of the society.
- The capabilities of senior citizens would be transformed into valuable social assets especially in social projects like Adult Education , Immunisation, Aids preventions , Environment protection , family welfare and so on.
- All citizens above 60 years of age would be defined as a senior citizens and government identity cards should be issued to them.
- The central assistance to National Old Age Pension for destitute elderly would be reasonably increased.
Social integration:
The Nationalist Congress Party, shall promote environment where every citizen of the Country will respect one other, in all their diversity of belief, culture, region and language. A culture of peace and dialogue among all sects of the Indian Society would be actively promoted.
Science and technology:
The Nationalist Congress Party is committed :
- To Promote and enhance the scientific temperament amongst the different strata of the society.
- To create international standard infrastructure by enhanced private participation for providing competing environment and resources for Research and Development .
- To promote lucrative career opportunities in science, research and innovation.
- Linking contributions of science research and innovation system with the inclusive economic growth agenda and combining priorities of excellence and relevance.
- Fostering resource optimized cost-effective innovation across size and technology domains.
- Increasing accessibility, availability and affordability of innovations, especially for women, differently-abled and disadvantaged sections of society.
- Exchange of Intellectual Property Rights between inventors and investors.
- Promotion of Information Technology based industries will be carried and providing internet services to the grass root people would be prioritised.
Sports and youth:
- The Youth falling within the age group of 15-35 years constitutes nearly 40 per cent of the total population of India. This group which is the most vibrant and dynamic segment of the country's population and constitutes most valuable human resource having constructive and creative energies which are part of various nation-building activities. The Nationalist Congress Party shall endeavour :-
- To Implement multi-skill development programmes amongst potential job seeker through employment oriented education.
- To involve them in several constructive programmes like functional literacy .
- Universalization of elementary education , population education , campaigns of environment protection and against drug addiction & the crimes thereof.
- To frame policies that act as a facilitator and catalytic agent in career development.
- To develop and implement strategies that give young people everywhere a real chance to find decent and productive work.
- To impart training in social and development activities.
- Employment orientation of education and skill development courses would be given to the youth so as to enhance their employability to suit the growing demands of the changing needs of the society and advancement of technologies.
- The sports activities will be made as an integral part of curriculum both at school and college level more effectively.
- To take measures to explore hidden talent of the Youth in Sports and providing them appropriate support to compete in International Sports like Olympics, ASIAD and other events.
Tourism development:
Tourism is the fastest growing economic sectors in the world . Tourism in India has emerged as an instrument of income and employment generation, poverty alleviation and sustainable human development and also an important source of foreign exchange earnings in India.
The major constraint in the development of tourism in India is the non-availability of adequate infrastructure including adequate air seat capacity, accessibility to tourist destinations, accommodation and trained manpower in sufficient number.
To overcome this, Nationalist Congress Party will strive to take further effective measures to develop tourism infrastructure through the public-private partnership (PPP) mode in the country.
- Eco-tourism needs to be promoted so that tourism in India helps in preserving and sustaining the diversity of the India's natural and cultural environments.
- Effective measures will be adopted to strengthen the campaign of "Incredible India" maintained by the Ministry of Tourism .
- Tourism in India will be developed in such a way that it accommodates and entertains visitors in a way that is minimally intrusive or destructive to the environment and sustains & supports the native cultures in the locations it is operating in.
- Nationalist Congress party will adopt measures to attract more tourist having sector specific interest with attractions including beautiful beaches, forests & wild life and landscapes for eco-tourism; snow, river and mountain peaks for adventure tourism; technological parks and science museums for science tourism; centres of pilgrimage for spiritual tourism; heritage, trains and hotels for heritage tourism.
- More effective measures will be adopted by encouraging private sector to Boom Medical Tourism in India. Hospitals with cost effective quality services and wide range of treatments will attract foreign tourist at large, also in addition to this Yoga, ayurveda and natural health will be promoted for medical tourism. All these measure will result in generating foreign exchange and employment to locals.
- More Initiatives will be taken by the Nationalist Congress party to boost tourism by giving special status to the tourism sector and incentives for promoting private investment in the form various Tax exemptions, interest subsidy and reduced import duty.
- Moreover, since tourism is a multi-dimensional activity, and basically a service industry, measures will be adopted to incorporate all wings of the Central and State governments, private sector and voluntary organisations making them active partners in the endeavour to attain sustainable growth in tourism to make India a world player in the tourism industry.
Transport
A well knit and coordinated system of transport plays an important role in the sustained growth of a country. Transport in the form of rail, road, water-ways, air and metro etc has recorded an extensive growth over the years both in spread of network and in output of the system. To improve and strengthen further the system of transport Nationalist Congress party will strive to:
- Incorporate urban transportation as an important parameter at the urban planning stage rather than being a consequential requirement.
- Establish institutional mechanism for enhanced coordination in the planning and management of transport systems.
- Reduce pollution levels through changes in travelling practices, better enforcement, stricter norms, technological improvements etc.
- Introduce intelligent Transport Systems for traffic management to decongest cities and addressing concerns of road safety and trauma response.
- Encourage use of public transport system.
- Strengthening of Indian Railways by adopting fuel efficient measures, better freight management.
- Modernisation of railway platforms to provide better passenger facility.
- To curtail travel time more high speed trains will be made available. Also bullet trains will be introduced between major cities for faster communication to cater various needs.
- Use of effective safety measures in Railways by adopting anti-collision device, better usage of railway safety fund, composite and workable safety mechanism etc.
- Introduce metro rail in all densely populated cities and to monitor, manage and make better the existing metro rail system.
- To decongest and cope with the overburdened rail transport system in Metro Cities more and more other ways of transport will be encouraged like elevated transport, developing available and new waterways system.
- Enable proper environment by setting up a regulatory body and streamlining procedures much simpler to facilitate Public Private Partnership.
- Strengthen Inland Waterways Authority of India to make them more responsible towards development and regulation of inland waterways for better shipping & navigation activities.
- Equip Directorate General of Shipping more adequately to ensure the safety of life and ships at sea.
- Develop Inland waterways and strengthening Ports to provide better facilities with road and rail connectivity.
- Well equip the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to make it more responsible towards the passenger services and safety.
-n Strengthening of existing airports and developing new airports within radius of 200 kms from the district center.
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