MADHYA PRADESH: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday exuded confidence to win the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and said the new government will transfer Rs 1 lakh annually into accounts of women belonging to SC, ST, and backward categories. Addressing a rally at Dhanora in Seoni district, which is part of the Mandla Lok Sabha constituency, Gandhi also assured to provide guaranteed apprenticeships to unemployed youths. “Our manifesto mentions three to four revolutionary steps taken by us like transferring Rs 1 lakh into (bank) accounts of women belonging to SC and ST categories, backward classes, and for women from poor families. This way we will provide thousands of rupees in their accounts every month,” he said. Congress has fielded former minister and MLA Omkar Singh Markam from the Mandla constituency against the sitting MP and Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste. The Congress has also promised to double the money being paid to Asha and Anganwadi workers, Gandhi said. “We will also bring a new law to ensure that every unemployed youth in the country gets a one-year apprenticeship in the public and private sector during which they will also get Rs one lakh as allowance,” the former Congress chief said. After completing the apprenticeship, they will get a job at the same place if they perform well, he added. “After forming a government at the Centre, we will end the contractual system in employment and will fill 30 lakh vacancies in the government sector,” Gandhi said. The Congress government will frame a law to ensure that farmers get adequate MSP for their crops for which they have been agitating for a long period, he said. Gandhi alleged the BJP has been purposely terming tribal people as “vanvasis” instead of calling them “adivasis” with a motive to uproot them from their land and snatch their first right on the water, forest and land. “They want to give their (tribals) land to industrialists,” he said.
