Lok Sabha elections 2024: NCP (SP) unveils manifesto, favours caste census

The Nationalist Congress Party Sharadchandra Pawar on Thursday unveiled its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 favouring caste census and promising a separate commission for farmers welfare right to apprenticeship 50 per cent reservation for women in jobsThe Sharad Pawarled party said it supports full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir and rejects the idea of one nation one electionAs per the manifesto titled Shapatnama the NCP SP will review and propose changes to the Citizenship Amendment Act CAA National Register for Citizens NRC Unlawful Activities Prevention Act UAPA and other laws conflicting with the constitutional principlesIt also mentioned that the party advocates empowering state and local governments reviewing power distribution and enforcing constitutional amendmentsWe will demand a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations We will ban contract labour in government sectors and legally protect the contract workers benefits Maharashtra NCP SP president Jayant Patil said addressing a press conference in Mumbai reported PTIThe manifesto unveiled in the presence of NCP SP chief and former Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar also favours caste census scrapping of the Agnipath scheme safety audit for women and strengthening cyber laws related to themThe NCP SP said it endorses the five nyay guarantees of the Congress mentioned in the grand old partys manifesto for Lok Sabha elections 2024 on the issues pertaining to farmers youth women labourers and caste censusPatil said if the party gets a chance to be in power at the Centre it would give the Goods and Services Tax GST a human face reported PTILPG cylinder prices will be kept at Rs 500 and if necessary will be subsidised by the government Petrol diesel tax will be restructured he said reported PTITo a query on Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking to know what Pawar has contributed to the agriculture sector the NCP SP chief said I dont wish to react to the remarks of those who have negligible knowledge of the sector He should first speak on what his government has done in the last ten years reported PTIThe manifesto also outlined the partys foreign policy related to strategic global diplomacy fostering partnerships that resonate with Indias role on the world stage and highlighted the partys views on national and internal securityWe also prioritise judicial reforms ensuring access to justice and inclusive representation within the judiciary the NCP SP said in the manifestoPatil said the manifesto emphasises on allinclusive development and speaks of affordable health and education the partys views on environment art and culture and what is proposes to do if voted to powerThe Sharad Pawarled partys manifesto for Lok Sabha elections 2024 also highlights welfare measures for the LGBTQ communityWith inputs from PTI