Congress promises 100-day agenda for Telangana

The Congress today said it will implement a 100-day agenda, including constitution of a Districts Re-organisation Committee (DRC), if it is voted to power in Telangana in the April 30 elections.
"We will set up the DRC and draw a road-map to increase the number of districts in the new state of Telangana to 20 from the existing 10. The 100-day agenda also includes implementing other promises made in our election manifesto for Telangana," Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said.
A committee to be headed by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi would monitor the implementation of the agenda, he told reporters here.

Among the major promises the Congress made in its Telangana election manifesto were waiver of farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh and creation of one lakh jobs for unemployed youth.
"A separate Public Service Commission for Telangana will be set up which will draft a plan for creation of one lakh jobs," said the Congress leader, who was part of the Group of Ministers that looked into the state bifurcation.
Simultaneously, the retirement age for Government employees would be increased to 60 from 58.

Congress's promise of extending a Rs one lakh one-time grant to women self-help groups in Telangana would also be part of the 100-day agenda, the Minister, who is a Rajya Sabha member from Andhra Pradesh, said.

He exuded confidence that the Congress would form the first Government in Telangana, which will come into being as a separate state on June 2.
"Despite being under pressure and facing many difficulties in Seemandhra, the Congress went ahead with the creation of Telangana state.
"There is every need for the Congress to form the first government to ensure political stability in Telangana," said Ramesh, who vigorously campaigned for the party across the region, which will have simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha elections on Wednesday.