The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance presented its blueprint for the Maharashtra Assembly polls, which includes massive doles in the form of welfare policies for women, farmers and youths. While launching the ‘Maharashtranama’ ahead of the assembly polls, the MVA announced confidence boosting support measures such as free vaccines from cervical cancer for girls in the age group of 9-16, optional off two days per month for working women for menstrual sickness, and six subsidised cooking gas cylinders in a year at Rs 500 each for women. Also, according to the Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party’s manifesto, Rs 1 lakh will be given to girls once they attain the age of 18 years.
This started with inclusive commitments in the form of caste based census, dedicated ministry for SHG and a new ministry for the welfare of children. The ‘Nirbhay Maharashtra’ policy would enhance protection and implementation of all the policies including Shakti law added to it.
The manifesto was unveiled at a press conference at Mumbai by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in the presence of NCP’s Supriya Sule and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut. To counter criticisms regarding the practicality of the schemes, Kharge justified that the MVA’s strategy was all the more possible because Karnataka has a Welfare Budget of Rs 52,000 crore indicating the transparency and intent towards a similar program.
For farmers, the benefis mentioned by MVA are debt relief up to Rs 3 lakh, Rs 50,000 on early loan repayment and support to the families affected by farm suicides. For the youth, it wants to form a MVA Youth Commission and give Rs 4,000 a month to unemployed graduates and diploma holders along with generating 2.5 lakh government employments.
The industrial sector promises a new policy along with a dedicated ministry for MSMEs. The MVA also aims to form a welfare corporation for the sanitation workers. Concerning the skyrocketing living costs, they want ways on how to regulate cost of essential commodities, free 100 units of electricity for low consumed units, and bring back the Old Pension Scheme as well. The state election is on November 20.
