In a bid to captivate the nation’s youth, the Congress party, for the first time, will include the ‘right to employment’ in its election manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

This significant announcement is expected to be made during a public rally at Badnawar in Madhya Pradesh, featuring Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi.

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Top party sources told PTI that these promises will be part of the Congress manifesto, awaiting approval from the Congress Working Committee (CWC).

A source told PTI, “This is the first time ever that such a scheme to give the ‘right to employment’ will be provided to the youth of the country, and some allowance may also be offered to the youth,” highlighting that even developed countries do not offer similar schemes.

In addition to addressing unemployment concerns, the party is poised to advocate for stringent laws and penalties against individuals responsible for exam paper leaks, proposing comprehensive measures to enhance transparency in government recruitment processes.

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The impetus for these initiatives is traced back to Rahul Gandhi’s focus on the challenges faced by lakhs of students during the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra,’ highlighting the detrimental effects of frequent paper leaks and subsequent exam cancellations, notably in states like Uttar Pradesh.

Other key points in the manifesto include a legal guarantee for the minimum support price, a caste-based census for government vacancies, and welfare measures such as financial assistance to marginalised sections of society.

The Congress, drawing on its recent electoral successes in states like Karnataka, Telangana, and Himachal Pradesh, is keen on addressing issues that resonate with the public. The manifesto committee, led by former union minister P Chidambaram, has finalized the draft, which will become the party document upon approval by the Congress Working Committee.

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Chidambaram stated, “We have completed our draft manifesto. It’s a draft. It will go to the Congress working committee. It is the CWC which finalises the manifesto and then it becomes a Congress party document. At the moment, we have completed the work on the draft manifesto.”

The committee is also considering innovative measures, such as an apprenticeship scheme for youth, to combat unemployment. The manifesto is expected to focus on empowering youth, women, the poor, and farmers while presenting a comprehensive vision for transparent governance and tackling issues like paper leaks.