
NCP (SP) unveils manifesto; favours caste census, stresses on welfare of farmers and women
The Hindu
NCP (SP) manifesto promises caste census, farmer commission, women's reservation, and constitutional amendments for inclusive development.
The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) on April 25 unveiled its manifesto, favouring caste census and promising a separate commission for farmers' welfare, right to apprenticeship, 50% reservation for women in jobs.
The Sharad Pawar-led party said it supports full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir and rejects the idea of 'one nation, one election'.
As 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 principles.
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It also mentioned that the party advocates empowering state and local governments, reviewing power distribution and enforcing constitutional amendments.
"We will demand a constitutional amendment to raise the 50% 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 here.
The 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 them.

When reporters brought to her notice the claim by villagers that the late maharaja of Mysore Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar had gifted the land to them, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar said she is not aware of the matter, but sought to assure people that no effort will be made to take back the land that had been gifted by the late maharaja.