INDIA: Promises Plenty As Election Sops for Seniors

CHANDIGARH (The Statesman), February 2, 2002: The Akali Dal (Badal) in its Assembly poll manifesto has promised sops to people. Continuing with sops like free power and water for the farm sector, ‘shagun’ on marriage of scheduled caste girls, old age pension etc, the ruling Akalis have promise more for all: urbanites, farmers, traders, unemployed youth, backward classes, employees, senior citizens. However, Mr Prakash Singh Badal was evasive when asked about resources. There will be no income bar for backward classes, to be issued certificates on caste basis. Most social schemes launched for scheduled castes will be extended to backward classes too. Also, the ceiling on annual pay of Rs 36,000, which acts as a bar on state relief to scheduled and backward caste students, will be lifted.