Legal MSP, pension for drivers: Congress' big poll promises for Lok Sabha elections 2024

Ahead of crucial parliament elections, the Congress on Thursday gave five guarantees to the youth of the country. "In our manifesto, we have provided a legal guarantee for the MSP," said Rahul Gandhi while speaking at Congress' Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. 

Earlier in the day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge shared the details of the promises, which include 30 lakh government jobs, guaranteed apprentices, and pensions for truck drivers and delivery boys. 

"All the vacancies of around 30 lakhs in the Central Government will be filled. A timeline will be decided from paper submission to recruitment," Kharge said.

The grand old party, which is seeking to prevent Prime Minister Narendra Modi from returning for the third term, said even after having a degree, every second youth of the country is unemployed because they do not have proper apprenticeship training.

"Congress Party guarantees that by bringing a new RIGHT TO APPRENTICESHIP law, we will provide apprenticeship training to every Diploma or Degree holder youth below 25 years of age in government or private sector."

Kharge said all apprentices will be given an assistance of Rs 1 lakh i.e. Rs 8,500 per month in a year. 

The Congress chief said that Rahul Gandhi met lakhs of people during Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra. He met many people including truck drivers, mechanics, carpenters, delivery people, and taxi drivers. "What problems they face, how low their salaries are, he heard and understood all these things. After this, the Rajasthan government of Congress brought a social security law for the welfare of all these people."

"On the same lines, the Congress Party guarantees that we will bring a new law for social security and working conditions in the Gig Economy for crores of youth who are supporting themselves and their families by doing informal jobs," Kharge said. He, however, did not share the amount that will be given as a pension.