The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) released Chandigarh specific election manifesto thereby promising 20,000 free water every month to people, besides 300 units of free electricity to all those families having a monthly income up to Rs 20,000.
Growth with accountability and transparency is the theme of the manifesto.
Releasing the manifesto at the Chandigarh Territorial Congress office here today, senior party leader and alliance candidate Manish Tewari along with CTC president Harmohinder Singh Lucky, AAP co-incharge for Chandigarh SS Ahluwalia, Prem Garg and other senior leaders said, “the true character of the city, wherein all sections of the city including people belonging to all religious groups, castes, creeds and regions live in a harmonious, peaceful and mutually rewarding relationship will be maintained at all costs”.
“It is time for Chandigarh to become a city state. The three existing, antiquated models of governance of the city, which are plagued by the multiplicity of authority and complicated web of laws, will be consolidated into simplified and people- friendly laws supported by the legal architecture in order to address the whole range of issues concerning the city”, he added.
The manifesto promised ownership rights to all rightful occupants of the dwelling units in ‘Rehabilitation Colonies’, including tenement sites and GPA housing schemes.
‘Lal Dora’ in villages will be extended and construction beyond Lal Dora will be regularized. Need based changes and alterations in Housing Board flats will be regularised on ‘the Delhi pattern’, the manifesto read, while promising, conversion of all categories of leasehold properties to free hold across the city.
The alliance promised legislation to allow share-wise/floor-wise transfer of properties.
Besides, it promised regularization of all contractual employees and filling up of all vacant government positions. No new taxes will be imposed, it added.
Tewari said, empowerment of women and youth shall always remain a priority for the INDIA/Congress and the efforts to upgrade the educational resources and facilities in Government schools and colleges will earnestly be made to help them match with the best in the field. He said, the objective is that the educational institutions here prepare employable young people, who are able to contribute to the process of National building effectively.
He said that the “enviable status” of the Union Territory of Chandigarh as a clean and planned urban centre, where people enjoyed a high quality of life, unmatched in the country, was lost in last ten years. “It will be restored on priority”, he assured.
He promised that a comprehensive developmental plan for next 25 years will be charted out to appropriately respond to the existing and potential challenges before the city residents.
The INDIA candidate said, relevant provisions of Schedule Ten of the Constitution will be amended to make provisions of Anti-defection law applicable on Municipal bodies.“The democratic framework in the city shall be strengthened by involving Resident Welfare Associations, NGOs and other popular voluntary organizations in the decision-making process and governance”, he said.
Tewari said the alliance is committed to eliminating the scourge of garbage dumps in the city. “The whole approach towards solid waste management shall be transformed by implementing various modern bioremediation techniques and other technologies.
“The garbage dump in Dadumajra would be made extinct at the earliest”, he assured.
He observed that the city has already established itself as an unflinching proponent of the revered concept of “Idea of India” and the much cherished and vital idea of ‘Unity in Diversity” for the entire Nation. “We, the people of Chandigarh always feel proud of our progressive thoughts and enlightened vision and our impeccable faith in the constitutional values”, he added.