• Source:JND
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Ahead of the upcoming Madhya Pradesh Assembly election, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday promised free education up to Class 12 and allowance for school children in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.

While addressing a rally in the tribal-dominated Mandla district, Priyanka also reiterated the promise of caste census to ensure ‘justice’ with OBCs, SCs, and STs and said that tribals are not getting jobs in proportion to their population share.

The Congress leader also slammed the ruling Shvraj Chouhan-led government in the state, saying Rs 250 scams have taken place in his 18 years in power.

"Recently, Bihar conducted a caste census and it was revealed that 84 per cent of the people belong to OBC, SC (Scheduled Castes) and ST (Scheduled Tribes) categories in the state. But their numbers in jobs are very low. To know their exact numbers and do justice to them, a caste census should be conducted in the country," Priyanka was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

"The BJP government at the Centre does not want to talk about it... Injustice is being done to OBCs and tribals. They are not getting jobs according to their numbers. We want their count, to deliver justice to them," she said.

She announced a slew of promises including 27 per cent reservation for people belonging to backward classes, and implementation of the old pension scheme.

Besides these promises, the Congress leader also emphasised that the grand old party would provide not only free education from Classes 1 to 12, but also an allowance of 500 per month to students in Classes 1 to 8, 1,000 per month to those in Classes 9 and 10, and 1,500 to those in Classes 11 and 12.

Priyanka Gandhi also announced other poll promises of her party including a Rs 1,500 monthly allowance for women, free 100 units of power per connection and 200 units at half price, gas cylinders for Rs 500 and others.

The Madhya Pradesh Assembly election will be held on November 17 to elect all 230 members of the Legislative Assembly.