Harish Rawat promises loans for jobless

Pithoragarh, January 19
Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Food Processing and Parliamentary Affairs Harish Rawat today said that if the Congress came to power, it will soon start a scheme under which unemployed youth in the state will bank get loans up to Rs 1 lakh for self-employment, without interest on it.

“Besides this, the Congress Government will also increase the kanyadan amount from Rs 25,000 at present to Rs 1 lakh. The Congress Government will bear full expenses of the girl child from the date of her entering the school till getting her settled in life by this scheme,” said Rawat, who was addressing a public meeting in support of local Congress candidates in Dharchula and Didihat Assembly seats of the district.

The minister said that the Congress will get the Dharchula and Munsiyari region the status of OBC area.All the communities living there could grow equally. “ The Dharchula and Munsiyari areas of this border district have suffered much after the closure of Indo-Tibet trade, as only some communities have got the benefits. If Congress comes to power this time, the entire area will get the economic benefits of the developmental schemes and job quota,” said Rawat.

Addressing a public meeting at Didihat in favour of party candidate Revti Joshi, Rawat said that the BJP Government did nothing for the development of the state but only promoted it’s communal agenda. The riots at Rudrapur this year are a proof of the party agenda in the state, alleged Rawat. The Congress leader added that the Congress will make a separate district of Didihat immediately after forming the government in March and sanction full budget for the construction of infrastructure by one year.

Rawat blamed the BJP Government for misusing the Central funds allocated to it for development of the state. “The BJP Government proved it’s corrupt practices by changing chief ministers after corruption scandals,” said Rawat.

He further said that the Congress will give pension to old people after they attain the age of 55 years. “The compensation package for every section of society is the aim of the Congress if it comes to power after the elections,” he added.

Later, talking to the media, the Congress leader said that his party will get more than two-third seats in the elections and form the government on it’s own in the state. “The people of the state have now understood that it is the Congress only that can get them a better life and better future,” said Rawat.