People’s Manifesto raises demands and concerns of people before Lok Sabha elections

 

National Platform on People’s Manifesto releases ‘People’s Manifesto’

 

New Delhi, March 27, 2014:

 

• Ensure highest standards of healthcare accessible to and affordable by all
• Prevent health conditions from worsening by ensuring universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation facility
• Inc. funding for education to a minimum of 6% of GDP
• Ensure nutritious food for all through effective implementation of National Food Security Act
• Legislate National Housing Policy and National rehabilitation Policy
• Strengthen implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA(MGNREGA) Act
• Safeguard land rights of the adivasis by strong implementation the Forest Rights Act(FRA) 2006
• Pass the Women’s Reservation Bill with immediate effect
• Protect the right of every child to survive, be healthy and safe
• Bring a legislation on SCP & TCP to give legal sanction to the plan allocation to SCs & STs
• Prioritise & strengthen human rights and access to justice
• Commit to accountable Governance
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  People’s Manifesto raises demands and concerns of people before Lok Sabha elections
   
  National Platform on People’s Manifesto releases ‘People’s Manifesto’
   
  New Delhi, March 27, 2014:
   
  • Ensure highest standards of healthcare accessible to and affordable by all
  • Prevent health conditions from worsening by ensuring universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation facility
  • Inc. funding for education to a minimum of 6% of GDP
  • Ensure nutritious food for all through effective implementation of National Food Security Act
  • Legislate National Housing Policy and National rehabilitation Policy
  • Strengthen implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA(MGNREGA) Act
  • Safeguard land rights of the adivasis by strong implementation the Forest Rights Act(FRA) 2006
  • Pass the Women’s Reservation Bill with immediate effect
  • Protect the right of every child to survive, be healthy and safe
  • Bring a legislation on SCP & TCP to give legal sanction to the plan allocation to SCs & STs
  • Prioritise & strengthen human rights and access to justice
  • Commit to accountable Governance
   
  A group of Civil Society Organizations led by WADA NA TODO ABHIYAAN released  the People’s Manifesto in an effort to give voice to the demands, concerns and aspirations of the people across the country before the upcoming elections. WNTA is a national campaign consisting of more than 4000 civil society organizations (CSO) and people’s organisations working on ‘HOLDING THE GOVT. ACCOUNTABLE TO ITS PROMISE TO END POVERTY, SOCIAL EXCLUSION AND DISCRIMINATION’.
   
  Wider Civil Society organizations formed a ‘National Platform on People’s Manifesto’ and came up with a People’s Manifesto through wider consultations with general public at large by holding direct meetings, signature campaigns, and social media interactions. The manifesto reflects the demands and aspirations of the marginalized and the poor sections living across the country. The representatives of the group have met members of manifesto committees of different political parties to influence political parties’ manifesto to include WNTA agenda in their manifestos.
   
  Representative of different political parties were also present and assured the gathering that they would advocate for the demands of people raised in People’s Manifesto. Sanjay Paswan of Bhartiya Janata Party appreciated the efforts of Wada Na Todo Abhiyan in preparing People’s Manifesto that reflects the demands of the most marginalized section of society. He assured, “Since the BJP manifesto has not been released yet; we would include the demands of people raised in People’s Manifesto.”
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  While the representatives of political parties said that they agree on most of the demands and would include in their political agenda. Dinesh Vasharney of Communist Party of India said that his party has released its manifesto that covers almost every demand mentioned in People’s Manifesto. He highlighted that there was a need to strengthen public participation in making policies.
  
  
  Nilotpal Basu of Communist Party of India (M) said that his party’s manifesto includes people’s concerns and covers almost all demands of poor and the marginalized. He said that it was a commendable initiative of Civil Society Organisations made a People’s Manifesto with direct consultation with over four lakh people.  
  
  
   
  
  
  Amitabh Behar of WNTA said “Preparing the people’s manifesto is a pro-active engagement of the people to influence the agenda of political parties and eventually hold government accountable at the centre”. Wada Na Todo Abhiyan by itself held direct consultations in 210 Parliamentary constituencies in 24 states.
  
  
   
  
  
   
   
  Through direct and indirect involvement, the manifesto by the CSOs took inputs from about 16 lakh people in 250 parliamentary constituencies in 24 states. In the process, several civil society organisations, people’s networks, women’s organisations, trade unions, student groups, dalit and tribal groups, youth groups, organizations working on children and many other networks representing various marginalized sections contributed to this massive mobilization and participatory discussion.
  People’s Manifesto clearly reflects an urgency to address increasing inequalities and calls for a greater commitment to fulfill the promise of basic services – particularly, health, education, water, sanitation and food security. The poorest and most excluded are systematically deprived of the benefits of development and economic progress. “Key demandcs emerging from the people include the need for greater regulation of the private sector particularly in health, education, land rights and in preservation of forest and natural resources, a strong justice delivery system, protection of rights and entitlements across all sections of marginalized and vulnerable groups including women, children, dalits, muslims, adivasis, persons with disability and the LGBT community. On various service delivery, it has called for time bound commitments and effective grievance redressal mechanism,” Paul Divakar, (national convener) of WNTA said.
  
  
   
  
  
  People’s Manifesto demands to pass the Women’s Reservation Bill with immediate effect; fair and equal resource distribution, employment and income opportunities for women; enforce safe employment conditions and a strong implementation of Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013; protect women and girls from all forms of violence by rigorous implementation of legal safeguards such as the Domestic Violence Act, 2005, 498A of the Indian Penal Code, Dowry Prohibition Act and to protect the right of every child to survive, be healthy and safe, rigorous and effective implementation of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994.
  
  
   
  
  
  The manifesto also demands to strengthen mechanisms for public participation and monitoring through the Right to Information, Social Audit and Vigilance Committees. It demands to abolish all anti-people, anti-democratic laws such as
  AFPSA.  It demanded to engage people politically in conflict regions, strengthen the statutory commissions created to protect the interest of the marginalized and minorities.
  
  
   
  
  
  WNTA, a national campaign consisting about 4000 civil society organizations, steered the process of bringing in key CSOs which were involved in the process of preparation of people-centric manifestos.
  
  
   
  
  
  WNTA and its partners have also met key leaders of different political parties to advocate for the demands raised in People’s Manifesto. AK Antony (Defense Minister and chairperson of congress manifesto drafting committee), Akhilesh Yadav (CM Uttar Pradesh), D Raja, AB Bardhan, Sudhakar Reddy (CPI), Rajendra Gupta (BJP) have assured the members of WNTA to push forward the demands of people for inclusion in the manifestos of their political parties.
  
  
   
  
  
  National Platform on People’s Manifesto: Alliance for Right to Early Childhood Development, Campaign against declining child sex ratio, Child Rights Coalition, CASA, CRY, Indian Social Institute, National Adivasi Solidarity Council, NCDHR, Nine is Mine, OXFAM India, PACS, RTE Forum, Save the Children, Youth- unManifesto, Wada Na Todo Abhiyan, World Vision.
  
  
   
  
  
  For details:
  
  
  Pradeep Baisakh, pradeep.wnta@gmail.com, Mobile no: +91-8447459549, Land line: 011-46082373/ Abhishek Pandey +91-9871397909