1080 Candidates in fray for 117 seats in Punjab

1080 Candidates in fray for 117 seats in Punjab

SAD-BJP Admin   5:08 PM

With 179 candidates withdrawing their nominations today, 1,080 candidates willbattle it out for 117 constituencies in the assembly elections. As many as 2,054 candidates, including covering candidates, had filed nominations till January 12. The papers of 1,259 candidates were found valid after scrutiny on January 13.

These elections will see 37 candidates more than the 2007 polls when 1,043 candidates were in the fray.

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Most of the 117 assembly seats will witness a triangular contest between ruling SAD-BJP alliance, main opposition Congress and Sanjha Morcha which includes the Left and People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) led by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s estranged nephew Manpreet. Prominent among those in fray include Badal (Lambi) as his predecessor Amarinder Singh (Patiala City).

Sons of both the veterans–Sukhbir, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister (Jalalabad) and Raninder (Samana)–are also in the fray besides another former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal (Lehra). Two former civil servants D S Guru, Principal Secretary to the CM, and P S Gill have filed their nominations from Bhadaur and Moga.

View List of Candidates for Punjab Elections 2012.

Congress Manifesto 2012

Congress Manifesto 2012

Punjab elections 2012 Admin   3:24 PM

The Punjab Congress has come up with a manifesto for Punjab Elections 2012 which focuses on corruption-free governance, fiscal responsibility, welfare of marginalised sections and reforms in the education and health sectors. PCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh has promised the creation of an effective Lokayukta and a statutory vigilance commission. Other salient features are:

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For weaker sections
l A dedicated Rs 100 crore venture capital fund to support enterprises by SC members
l Basic pension for senior citizens to be raised to Rs 400 per month, for widows Rs 500 per month and the physically challenged Rs 600 per month
l Marriage gift to grand-children of freedom fighters worth Rs 51,000
l Pension for freedom fighters at Rs 6,000 per month
l Life insurance cover
For women folk
l Every family to get Rs 15,000 on the birth of a girl-child birth and Rs 5,000 each on admission to Class I, Class VI, Class XI and Class XII
l Shagun scheme sum to be increased to Rs 31,000
For ex-servicemen
l Affairs of ex-servicemen to be directly under the CM
l No VAT on CSD items
l To pursue one rank, one pension demand with Centre
For citizens’ safety
l To discard the practice of putting every police station under the local MLA
l It proposes one cyber police station per police zone and online system for complaints
l Promises to get 50,000 “false” cases against Congress workers investigated
Education
l 3 state-of-the-art senior secondary schools with modern infrastructure in each block
l Effective implementation of computer education
l Focus on improving English and maths skills among schoolchildren
l Online school education content in Punjabi
Health sector
l 3 new tertiary care hospitals besides five medical colleges and cancer hospitals
l Integrated health services from primary health centre to district and referral hospitals
l Full-time doctors and nurses at all primary health centres in rural areas
For the youth
l Employment department of to focus on jobs
l 100 skill development centres and free training for defence, police and security services
Agriculture
l Functioning of horticulture department to be monitored by a committee under CM
l Special nurseries for processing varieties of orange plants and free saplings to be given to small farmers
l 100 per cent subsidy on drip irrigation
l Three agro processing SEZs and agriculture technology information centre in each district
l An international dairy research institute besides 5 new dairy training centres
l A special revolving fund to encourage diversification
Industry
l An effective single-window clearance system
l A mega petro-chemical complex at Bathinda
Infrastructure
l Three inland container depots at Rajpura, Jalandhar and Amritsar.
l Rural roads to be widened to 18 ft
l Highways to be upgraded
l Transport policy of private bus operators to be reviewed  


Source : Tribune India