Summary:
Lucknow, Dec 8 (PTI) Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday released a manifesto for women ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, promising that 40 per cent of the 20 lakh new jobs her party aims to create in the state will be allotted to women.In the six-point manifesto titled "Shakti Vidhan", she also said that if the Congress forms government, it will ensure 50 per cent of all ration shops in the state are managed and run by women, reserve 25 per cent of all jobs in the police force for women and ensure free medical treatment for women for any disease up to Rs 10 lakhs per family.Besides these, 40 per cent work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) will also be reserved and prioritised for women, Priyanka Gandhi said, days after she announced reserving 40 per cent Congress poll tickets for women.The points covered in the manifesto are "swabhiman" (self-respect), "swawlamban" (self-sufficiency), "shiksha" (education), "samman" (respect), "suraksha" (security) and "sehat" (health).On allotting 40 per cent new jobs to women, Priyanka Gandhi, who is also a general secretary in the Congress, stressed that the allotment will be made in accordance with existing provisions of reservation.Within the state labour ministry, there will also be a government department to ensure humane working conditions of domestic workers, she promised while releasing the manifesto at the Congress office here.Businesses increasing their female employee numbers to 50 per cent shall be assisted through adequate incentives, including tax exemptions, she added.Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said this is the first manifesto for women released for the next year Uttar Pradesh elections, with Priyanka Gandhi hoping that "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," Priyanka Gandhi said.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.The Congress gave India its first woman prime minister, Indira Gandhi, and it was also the Congress that gave Uttar Pradesh its first woman chief minister, Sucheta Kriplani, said Priyanka Gandhi.She added that it was the Congress that brought Panchayati Raj and delivered to lakhs of women across the country the power to govern their villages and municipalities.
The Congress also made a commitment to 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament, she said.
"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 said.Women representation in Parliament and legislative assemblies is below 15 per cent.
In offering 40 per of tickets for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections, it is hoped that a new opportunity for women political leadership in the state will emerge, she said.
"We want to make this 40 per cent to 50 per cent.