Team Herald
PANJIM: Congress, whose medium of instruction (MoI) policy of giving grants to English medium primary schools led to its debacle in March 2012, has again tapped on the contentious issue for the February 4 polls. This time it promises to give parents the choice to decide the medium of education for their children at the primary level and the government’s equitable support to all languages.
Congress, in its Vision Document for Goa, also promises closure of casinos (on-shore and off-shore), all out war on drugs, Special Status, amendment to the Regional Plan 2021, scrapping of Outline Development Plan and Investment Promotion Board, roll back amendment in Agriculture Tenancy Act and Mundkar Act, voting rights to citizens with dual citizenship, five year shack license.
Congress also announced it will declare January 16, the Opinion Poll day, as ‘Osmitai Diwas’ and has promised to hike the monthly Girha Adhar allowance to housewives from Rs 1500 to Rs 5000 and unemployment allowance of Rs 5000 monthly to youth with family income below Rs 10 lakh per annum.
Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday released the party’s manifesto for the February 4 polls, which speaks about Right to Basic Living, Right to Livelihood, Right to Belong, Right to Life, Right to Quality Education, Right to Quality of Life, Right to Economic Self Sufficiency, Right to Identity, Right to Good Governance and Right to Protect Goa.
Accusing the BJP and RSS of using language in politics to polarise voters, Scindia announced that if Congress is voted to power, it will amend the Goa School Education Act to make MoI a matter of choice for parents, with equitable government support to all languages of instruction recognised by and used officially by the Constitution of India.
“MoI will be the decision of the parent by making necessary changes in the law. No discrimination of institutions on the basis of language at primary level. Students opting for regional languages as MoI at primary level shall be given incentives,” states the manifesto, released in the presence on AICC secretary Dr Chella Kumar, State unit President Luizinho Faleiro, Leader of the Opposition Pratapsinsh Rane and others.
Congress has promised to remove all the floating casinos permanently from the rivers of Goa. “We will ban both off-shore and on-shore casinos. In the first phase, off-shore casinos will be removed,” Faleiro told media persons.
Stating that there is complete dominance of junk tourism in Goa in the name of casino and drugs, Congress has promised to declare an all-out war on drugs and drug peddling in the State. “The police anti-narcotics cell will be upgraded and strengthened to take the fight to the beaches and every corner of the State,” the party announced.
Regional Plan 2021, one of the reasons for the wave against the Congress government in 2012, has again found place on the party’s election manifesto wherein it has promised to amend the plan and reformulate it under provisions of a newly reformed Town and Country Planning Act.
“Our manifesto is an honest and sincere effort to address the problems faced by the State, people, youths, women, mining industry and other small industries. Out manifesto focuses to improve the life of Goa, to make youths self sufficient and empowerment of women,” Faleiro said addressing the gathering.
“We promise to give Goa a clean governance and responsible governance,” he committed.
