Raipur, Dec 10 (PTI) The ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh on Friday released its manifesto for the urban body polls in the state scheduled for December 20.

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It has promised to bestow residential land titles on eligible persons, set up toilets for women, provide affordable and quality diagnostic centres, open children's parks and gymnasiums in small localities and C-Mart outlets to promote self-employment.

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Fifteen urban bodies, including four municipal corporations, in ten districts will go to the polls on December 20, with 17 wards in 16 civic bodies witnessing bypolls on the same day.

State unit chief Mohan Markam, Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey and Forest and Climate Change Minister Mohammad Akbar released the manifesto titled 'Nagariya Jan Ghoshana Patra-2021' at Rajiv Bhavan, the party's office here.

Akbar, who is also chairman of Congress manifesto committee for the civic bodies polls, said residential land title (lease) will be provided to every eligible person, while mobile medical units under the Mukhyamantri Slum Swasthya Yojana will be expanded in every town to provide doorstep service.

"Similarly, Shri Dhanwantari Generic Medical Store scheme will be expanded in all civic bodies. Affordable and quality city diagnostic centres will be set up for diagnostic and pathology services," he added.

The promises also include drinking water tap connection in cent per cent households, schemes for better management of garbage and drains to make cities dust and mosquito free, small children's park-cum- open gym in mohallas (alleys), exclusive markets for women vendors, modernized toilets, including 'pink' toilets for women, etc.

The party had won handsomely in the December, 2019 civic body polls, capturing mayoral posts in 10 municipal corporations.

Meanwhile, the opposition BJP termed the manifesto as a “bunch of lies”, with Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Dharamlal Kaushik saying the state government was yet to reduce property tax by 50 per cent despite promising it several times.

"They failed to act on promises of liquor ban, unemployment allowance and pension to elderly people. The people will teach the Congress a lesson in these polls," Kaushik said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)