Before manifesto,Congs Vision Document for UP

The document lists Congress plan of creating hubs in the state,centred around its existing crafts and skill-based industries that are tottering. This covers weaving of handlooms,carpets; potato processing; leather units; glassware works; perfume and sugar industries; horticulture; Buddhist tourism circuit etc,besides a few other hubs in important cities of every region.

Apart from promising 20 lakh jobs in five years and an annual growth rate of nine to 10 per cent,the document also talks about developing skilled manpower at the rate of 20 lakh youths per year through 1,000 skill development centres. This has been one of the major themes in Rahuls speeches, said Prof Badri Narayan of the Gobind Ballabh Pant Social Science Institute here.

However,barring power and transportation,the document does not talk about huge investments,domestic or foreign,nor puts big emphasis on public-private partnerships. Instead,it focuses on micro-credit,self-group groups,giving the example of Sultanpur and Rae Bareli. The document also talks about combining the Centres flagship programmes and future proposed reforms as guiding principle for development of the state.

Addressing mediapersons,Ramesh said the role of the Centre in development of states was significant and that the vision document would be as important for the Centre as it is for the Congress in the state. Whether we come to power or not,we will keep working on this document, said Ramesh.