Congress Manifesto

On Tuesday, the Congress President Sonia Gandhi released a ‘low on reform and high on populism’ manifesto. Some of the Highlights of Congress manifesto are as follows:

• Enactment of a National Food Security Act ; 25 kilos of wheat or rice for Rs 3 a month to those below poverty line.
• Maximum possible security to each and every citizen.
• Highest level of defence preparedness and further steps for the welfare of the defence forces and their families.
• Accelerated process of police reforms.
• Increase in the daily wage paid under the NREGA from Rs 80 to Rs 100.
• Health security for all.
• Comprehensive social security to those at special risk.
• Quality education affordable to everyone.
• Nationwide skill development programme.
• Expansion of schemes for improving the well-being of farmers.
• Democratic and professional functioning of cooperatives.
• Greater impetus to empowerment of weaker sections of society.
• Control of communalism and caste atrocities.
• Sharp focus on the special needs of children, especially the girl child.
• Making elected panchayat institutions financially strong.
• Connecting all villages to a broadband network in three years.
• Special focus to small entrepreneurs and to small and medium enterprises.
• Maintenance of high growth with fiscal prudence and low inflation.
• Introduction of goods and services tax from April 1, 2010.
• A completely new look to urban governance.
• A new deal to our youth to participate in governance.
• Protection of India's natural environment and steps to rejuvenate it.
• Massive renewal of science and technology infrastructure.
• Judicial reforms to cut delays in courts.
• To continue to be sensitive to regional aspirations
• Energy security for the country.
• Steps to preserve and promote our heritage.
• To continue independent, pro-India foreign policy.
• To intensify the involvement of overseas Indians in development.

For the full text, click here

Interesting to note that, it doesn't focus much about the CHANGE as Obama's campaign did, nor does it mention a word about economic slowdown and revival strategy.

Earth Hour 2009

There are lots of things I can think of doing in dark for an hour. You?
This year India will join rest of the world by observing 'Earth Hour' to save energy as well as environment on March 28. Let's make passionate love to our planet and turn off the lights for an hour.

931 cities and towns in 80 countries have already committed to VOTE EARTH for Earth Hour 2009, as part of the worlds first global election between Earth and global warming.
WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.
Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour.
Here is a glimpse of Earth Hour 2008 :



This year India, especially Delhi and Mumbai will participate, he said adding that WWF was getting support from the government as well as the corporate houses. Lights would be switched off or dimmed at 11 PVR cinemas in Delhi and Mumbai and corporate offices.
Its a call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet.
Let us also VOTE EARTH by simply switching off lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour - Saturday, March 28, 8:30-9:30pm.

Let's make this vote count

The Times of India is set to launch Lead India ’09, a country-wide campaign across all our newspapers, with the aim of ensuring that better candidates are put up and elected in the coming elections. The campaign will first try to put pressure on political parties to feature better candidates, by mobilizing the opinions of lakhs of thinking individuals around the country; and then act as a Voters’ Guide to help voters make a more informed choice, through detailed investigation of all key candidates in 40 urban constituencies.

Join me in this campaign and take an oath -

I swear that this time I will stand up.
Not for what I believe in, but for what I don't.
This time I will vote. Not for, but against.
Against my own Helplessness.
Against my own lazinessness.
Against two words called "Chalta Hain".
Against short cuts in queues.
Against cheating in exams.
Against Kharcha Paani in offices.
Against powerless inquiry commissions.
And powerful vote banks.
Against religion in politics.
Against illegal constructions
and legal loopholes.
Against every cynic. Every non-believer.
Against the belief that nothing will change.
Against the feeling that my vote cannot make a difference.
Against every excuse for not voting.
I will do this without fear or shame.
Because only by voting against all that is destroying our todays, will give my children something to vote for tomorrow.

For further details click here

Let's become the change agents in this historic election.
Let's think loud for the next two months !!

VOTE FOR ??

We will soon be hitting the Indian summers, the teams are getting finalized, the players are being auctioned, bought and exchanged, sponsorship deals are being signed, more investors are putting in their money, the venues are being decided, the dates are getting finalized and in no time we will get to see all action.
Well its not all sports here.. We all are getting so many updates about the IPL 2 scheduled somewhere in the month of April and getting ourselves ready for greater excitement than what it was last year.
But this time let us learn from our mistakes and not repeat them again.
Our next General elections are scheduled in May, 2009. The parties are nominating their candidates, the tickets are being allocated to various party men, people are switching parties, the alliances are being decided, the budget allocation has been done (a whooping 1,120 crores), the election manifestos are coming out, the advertisements and publicity are on, and campaigns are being held across the country.


Let’s be a little more responsible in deciding our priorities. Rather than analyzing on the IPL Teams and their strengths and weaknesses, let’s understand the leaders and their parties well. Let’s understand their principles and the election manifestos. Let’s be 100 % sure about the person before we allow him/her to make polices and take decisions for us. Let’s be clear in our minds about the person we are voting for, know his/her background, understand what he/she wishes to do, and how they plan to achieve the same, and then decide if they are capable of fulfilling all the promises or not.

Don’t be careless now and repent late. Let us all take an informed decision.

Madame! It happens only in India