Congress party moves economic resolution at 85th Plenary in Raipur

Raipur (Chhattisgarh): Congress party on Saturday moved its 'economic resolution' at the 85th plenary session in Chhattisgarh's Raipur. The party pledged on multiple economic fronts, which they believe would help in boosting the country's economy.

In its economic resolution, the party resolved to invest in dedicated skill development programmes for the manufacturing sector and develop infrastructure to encourage domestic manufacturing.

Noting the need for an employment-generated scheme akin to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, the party said a similar scheme should be implemented for the poor, located in urban areas.

"An Urban NREGA, similar to MGNREGA, must be introduced to provide a safety net for the urban poor. With massive unemployment and low LFPR, new Labor Codes if implemented are hitting the right of workers adversely. We believe workers have made our country; we should secure their rights and provide justice to them. With the expansion of technology, internet, urbanization and the COVID-19 pandemic, the "Nature of Work" is also changing. According to data available with the NITI Aayog, around 77 Lakh people are employed as gig workers as of June 2022 and their number is likely to treble by 2029-30. We believe in protecting their rights and providing social security measures to them," the resolution said.

Aiming at the government, Congress in its resolution said that the Modi government has cynically ignored the widespread and growing inequalities.

"Most of its economic policies are targeted to benefit a small section of the people. Among the worst affected are the Farmers, Senior Citizens, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Minorities, and other vulnerable groups. The proof is available in the reduced budget allocations for schemes designed to benefit these sections of people. For example, in the Budget of 2023-24, the budget estimates are lower by Rs. 1,79,364 Crore compared to the revised estimates in 2022-23 under just three heads, namely, MGNREGA, subsidy on food, and subsidy on fertilizer," the resolution said.

Apart from, the economic resolutions, the grand old party also moved several international resolutions, ranging from restoring the principle of collective decision-making to safeguarding the functioning of international organisations.

The resolution said that the party will work to bring more transparency and regulations to manage global financial and stock markets.

"The BJP government has unfortunately turned a blind eye to crony capitalists manipulating markets, currencies and financial institutions, and leveraging tax havens to rig the Indian market. The Congress Party commits to bringing more transparency and regulations to manage global financial and stock markets," the resolution said.

"The Congress Party will re-invigorate an institutionalised system and comprehensive method of outreach to the diaspora, international organisations and governments. This includes working with likeminded institutions and organisations," it added.

It also pledged to leverage both India's public and private sectors to attain key strategic and foreign policy goals, and holistically promote India's economic interests in collaboration with the widest set of stakeholders (as opposed to the crony-capitalism that the BJP government has fostered).

"The Congress Party also commits to ensuring that India has a globally competitive business and investment-friendly environment. We also commit to creating an economically integrated South Asia," the resolution said further.

The resolution further said that the party will, re-invigorate an institutionalised system and comprehensive method of outreach to the diaspora, international organisations and governments, and re-establishing the Ministry of Overseas Indians that will be tasked to address the concerns of NRIs including their safety, conditions of work, social security and health benefits, education of their children, need for financial services, protection of assets in India, and safe return to India.

The draft also attacked the BJP government over its foreign policy regarding the neighbouring countries and claimed that China has widened the economic and geopolitical gap with the country.

"In the last eight years, India's relationship with our neighbours including China, Nepal and Bangladesh have frayed, while China has steadily widened the economic and geopolitical gap with India and fostered stronger ties with Russia, Iran, Sri Lanka and Pakistan," the resolution added.

During the 85th Plenary session, the party also released its political resolution, in which it promised to bring a law against hate crimes, guarantee citizens right to free healthcare, restore statehood of Jammu and Kashmir, etc.