Congress promises Rs 1 lakh cash transfer to women, 50% quota in central govt jobs

New Delhi: Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress Wednesday announced five guarantees for women, including annual direct cash transfers of Rs 1 lakh to one woman from each of the country’s poorest families and 50 per cent quota in all new recruitments in central government jobs.

In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the party has announced the “Nari Nyay” guarantee, under which it is going to set a new agenda for the country’s women.

Kharge said prior to this, the Congress had announced its guarantees on participatory justice, farmer justice and youth justice.

“Needless to say, our guarantees are not empty promises and statements,” he said in his post in Hindi on the microblogging platform.

“Our words are set in stone. This is our record from 1926 till now when our opponents were being born, we have been making manifestos, and fulfilling those declarations.

“All of you keep giving your blessings to the Congress party and strengthen our hands in this fight to save democracy and the Constitution,” Kharge said.

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi made the announcements at a “women conference” in Maharashtra’s Dhule.

Under the “Mahalakshmi” guarantee of the party, one woman from every poor family will be given an annual assistance of Rs 1 lakh through direct cash transfer.

Besides, the Congress will ensure “Aadhi aabaadi, poora haq”, under which 50 per cent of all new recruitments in central government jobs will be reserved for women.

Under the “Shakti ka Samman” guarantee, the Centre’s contribution to the monthly pay of ASHA, anganwadi and mid-day meal workers will be doubled, Kharge said.

Under the “Adhikar Maitri” guarantee, Congress will appoint an “adhikaar maitri” in every panchayat to serve as a para-legal functionary to educate women about their legal rights and assist them in their enforcement.

Under the “Savitri Bai Phule Hostels” guarantee, the Congress-led Centre will double the number of hostels for working women in the country, with at least one in each district.

“Today @INCIndia President @kharge ji unveiled the five guarantees for Nari Nyay, which @RahulGandhi took forward at the Mahila Melawa Meeting in Dhule. Earlier, we had announced the guarantees for Kisan Nyay, Hissedari Nyay, and Yuva Nyay,” All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.

PTI