Stability – Springboard For Change

A Congress Government is a government that believes in, and constantly works for, the people. The Congress has always advanced the aspirations of the people for a better life and a better tomorrow. The Congress uses stability not to stagnate but as a springboard for change. Stability brings change, change that is positive and wholesome.

The period from 1991 to 1996 contains many examples.

• The new economic policy was the result of a stable government.

• Unprecedented increase in investments in rural and social development is the product of a stable government.

Your vote for Stability will be a vote for Change.

Greater Self-reliance

It is the Congress which first put before the people the goal of self-reliance. That goal has been corrupted by some self-styled protagonists of the national interest.

What is true self-reliance? True self-reliance is measured by the capacity of the country to:

• save more and invest more.

• create more jobs and generate more incomes.

• to absorb more investment and better technology.

• pay for the import of capital goods and raw materials.

• pay for the import of essential articles like fertilisers, edible oils and petroleum products to meet the needs of the people.

• repay the national debt and to pay the interest charges.

Our goal is to make India affluent and truly self-reliant. So, what is our programme?

Anti Poverty Programmes

1991

• Poverty alleviation was the central priority of the Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi governments.

• More investments were made in poverty alleviation schemes than ever before; many new schemes were implemented.

• The proportion of our population below the poverty line was thus halved from over 50 per cent to an all-time low of 25 per cent.

1996

The abolition of poverty remains the foremost objective of the Congress.

Investment in rural development and poverty alleviation during 1991-1996 was Rs 34,000 crore – thrice the amount spent in the previous five years. It is proposed to increase this outlay by three times more, to around Rs 90,000 crore, in the next five years.

The record speaks for itself. In the four-year period from July 1991 to July 1995:

• 115 lakh families were assisted under the Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP).

• 28 lakh houses were built free of cost for scheduled castes/tribes, freed bonded labourers and other people below the Poverty Line under the Indira Awaas Yojana.

• 2.60 lakh villages/habitations were covered under the rural drinking water supply scheme.

• 7,837 projects were approved and Rs 160.85 crore released to 1,600 voluntary agencies for rural development.

The greatest success was the creation of work, work which translates into incomes for the very poor and as assets for the country.

Agriculture

1991

• Foodgrain production reached an all-time high of 175 million tonnes.

• The green revolution was extended to east UP, Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa.

• Agricultural production increased at a rate of 5 per cent per annum.

This was achieved by putting in place a sound policy framework and ensuring the effective and coordinated delivery of agricultural inputs and services on a timely basis.

1996

The time has come when in overall terms, agriculture needs to be accorded the status of an industry. This will be done now, since other steps required in this behalf have been completed.

The Eighth Plan outlay for the Ministry of Agriculture was enhanced to Rs 10,000 crore – an increase of over 180 per cent. No government ever gave farmers such high remunerative prices by way of Minimum Support Price as was done by the Congress during 1991-96.

As a result of policy initiatives and special programmes introduced, the agriculture sector has become more competitive and efficient. Our progressive policies have enabled farmers to reach new heights of productivity.

Foodgrain production increased to a record level of 191 milliontonnes in 1994-95. A major thrust was given to horticulture – the Eighth Plan outlay on horticulture was Rs 1,000 crore against an expenditure of only Rs 24 crore in the Seventh Plan.

India is now the largest producer of fruits and the second largest producer of vegetables and coconuts in the world. The production of milk has increased substantially from 5.39 crore tonnes in 1990-91 to above 6.3 crore tonnes in 1994-95. Total agricultural exports have increased from about Rs 5,000 crore in 1990-91 to over Rs 10,000 crore in 1994-95.

Watershed development projects for sustainable development of rain-fed and drought-prone areas have been launched under National Watershed Development Projects for Rain-fed Areas (NWDPRA), Drought-prone Areas Programme (DPAP) and Integrated Wasteland Development Projects (IWDP). DPAP has now been extended to 946 blocks in the country and its outlay has more than doubled between 1991-92 and 1995-96.

Women

1991

• The Indira Mahila Yojana, announced in 1989, will be implemented as the focal point for women’s development.

• The improved Chulha Programme will be expanded to cover at least 5 lakh families each year.

• Vigorous implementation of the Equal Remuneration Act – to ensure equal pay for equal work and of schemes for distribution of assets such as land/house will be introduced.

• The office of the Commissioner for Women’s Rights will be established to protect women’s rights and take timely action in cases of atrocities towards women.

• 30 per cent membership in local governments and other statutory bodies will be reserved for women.

• The ban on the indecent representation of women on posters, advertisements, hoardings, etc, will be enforced.

1996

Women have been in the forefront of the Congress since the freedom struggle while championing people’s causes.

The Congress set up the Rashtriya Mahila Kosh to develop a network of credit services for women working in the informal sector and to support self-employment ventures.

It established the National Commission on women. Besides, there is a Commissioner for Women’s Rights to protect the social well-being of women and check atrocities and violence directed at women.

It provided reservations for women in Panchayats and Nagarpalikas. By a suitable amendment in the Constitution, it will also provide reservations for women in State Legislatures and the Parliament.

Education

1991

• The Congress will vigorously implement the New Education Policy --to wipe out illiteracy and significantly expand investment in primary and secondary education. Operation Blackboard will be intensified. Special measures will be taken to reduce the drop-out rate at the primary level.

• Middle-level technical courses will be multiplied with a view to expanding employment.

• A national Mid-day Meal Programme will be launched to cover every child in primary schools. A mass movement towards this end will be undertaken.

• The Congress will set up one Navodaya Vidyalaya in every district with reservations for SC/ ST and backward class students.

• Investments in education will be progressively increased to reach a targetted figure of 6 per cent of GNP by the end of the Ninth Plan.

1996

The Congress has made a public and firm commitment to spend 6 per cent of the country’s GDP on education – leading to a doubling of investments in education by the turn of the century.

It launched a new mid-day meal programme to increase nutrition and improve school attendance of 11 crore children. In the very first year of the scheme, 3.4 crore children were covered.

In more than 300 districts total literacy campaigns were taken up. The National Literacy Mission’s achievements are acknowledged widely.

The Congress’s commitment to education can be seen from the fact that Plan investment in elementary education has gone up by 130 per cent in the same period.

The Congress is committed to ensuring universal access to elementary education by the year 2001, laying particular emphasis on the Girl Child and imparting a strong vocational bias to secondary education.

Science and Technology

1991

• The Science and Technology policy of the Congress will be people-oriented to make our country competitive and enrich the treasures of knowledge.

• More funds for R&D will be provided.

• The Congress is committed to using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

1996

Successive Congress Governments have been deeply committed to the development of Indian science and technology. Due to sustained support given by Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and, since 1991, by P.V. Narasimha Rao, India has emerged as a leading nation in the development and application of Science and Technology.

• Only five countries in the world have designed, built and launched satellites into space. India is one of them. The INSAT satellites are being used extensively for telecommunications, TV broadcasting, weather forecasting to benefit farmers and for early warnings of disasters.

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research has developed many processes for several vital and essential drugs.

• This will help in timely production of drugs for the treatment of malaria, gastro-enteritis, cancer, TB and AIDS. And at a cost that is one-third to one-fifth the price of imported drugs.

• The country’s atomic energy programme has been consolidated in the last five years.

• For the first time, oral polio vaccine will be manufactured in the country and benefit 20 million children born annually.

Stronger Defence

1991

The Congress is committed to defending the sovereignty, territory and borders of our country, our people, our culture, our way of life and our political system.

Defence preparedness is aimed at defending the nation and not at aggression against any other country.

1996

The Congress Governments have a proud record in securing the defence of India. The period from 1991-1996 was another period of strengthening India’s defence forces. The most notable achievements of this period were:

• Commissioning of the main battle tank ‘Arjun’.

• Successful launch of Prithvi, Nag and Akash missiles and the successful completion of the Agni project.

• Development of the light combat aircraft (LCA).

• Commissioning of INS Shankul and India’s inclusion into the select club of countries possessing frontline technology for submarine construction.

• Indian defence personnel were deployed abroad in several countries including Kampuchea, Somalia and Rwanda as part of the UN peace-keeping missions.

The Child

1991

• The Congress is committed to the Nehruvian vision that children are our most precious natural treasure.

• The Universal Immunisation Programme launched by us in 1985 and oral re-hydration will extend to the entire child population.

• Laws against child labour will be strengthened and strictly enforced.

• Strong measures through legislation will be taken to protect the girl child. Punishments will be introduced for female infanticide and foeticide.

1996

• The Congress will extend the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) to all 4,997 blocks in the country.

• Arrange for nutritional support equivalent to 150 gm of foodgrains per day to all eligible pre-school children as well as to expectant and nursing mothers.

The Secular Ideal

1991

Secularism is the essence of the Congress. Sensitivity towards minority concerns is being portrayed as appeasement of them.

“If any man raises his hand against another in the name of religion, I shall fight him till the last breath of my life – whether I am in the government or outside.” That is the pledge which every Congress candidate solemnly takes.

1996

The cornerstone of secularism is the security of the minorities.

Welfare Of Minorities

1991

It pledges to protect the constitutional and legal rights of the religious, linguistic and ethnic minorities. Full emphasis will be laid on the following:

• A composite Rapid Action Force charged with the special task of quelling communal riots and specially equipped for this purpose will be set up.

• The Minorities Commission will be given statutory status.

• Educational institutions of minority communities will continue to receive full constitutional and legal protection.

1996

The Congress regards all Indian citizens as equal in respect to the Constitution of India. Yet it recognises minorities of several kinds due to the special disadvantages they suffer and the help they need.

• The Congress regards the 15-point programme for the Welfare of the Minorities as a charter of duties.

• It has established the National Minority Finance and Development Corporation – to support projects that promote the well-being of minorities – with a capital of Rs 500 crore.

• A Rapid Action Force comprising young men from different communities has been set up. They are stationed at sensitive areas and have earned the people’s confidence.

• The Minorities Commission has been given statutory status.