Political parties urged to include basic amenities in election manifesto

BHUBANESWAR: “After 67 years of independence, the people of the country still urge the State and the Central Government to provide at least basic amenities which is very unfortunate,” said the experts at a meeting organised by the Wada Na Todo Abhiyan (WNTA) here on Thursday.

WNTA, a national level campaign for participatory governance through empowering people in the electoral process, has initiated the process of preparing peoples manifesto for the Lok Sabha election 2014. After taking suggestions at the State-level meetings, the WNTA would present it before the political parties to include them in their election manifesto.

Experts like senior journalist Rabi Das, Prashant Patnaik, political leaders like Mahendra Parida and social activists like Jagadananda suggested WNTA to include the issues like violence against women, MGNREGS work, water and sanitation, child rights, education, health, poverty, corruption, farmers’ income security, problems of minorities and other issues in the People’s Manifesto.

Keeping in view of the size of the State, socio-economic, geographic and demographic setting of the State, 12 out of 21 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State have been identified for the preparation of Peoples’ manifesto, said Pradeep Baisakh of WNTA.   

Among others, representatives of different political parties, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and media persons participated and deliberated in the meeting.