With the 2014 Lok Sabha elections around the corner, the Congress on Friday convened a meeting to chalk out the strategy to tackle corruption and inflation - the two factors believed behind the anti-Congress sentiment in the country.
Detailing the five points decided during the meeting, Congress General Secretary Ajay Maken said that the party has decided to create Lokayuktas in all Congress-ruled states by March. "All Congress ruled state will have a new Lokayukta before 28th February," he said.
To address the issue of hoarding, Maken said that the party has decided to delist fruits and vegetables from the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act to help the farmers directly sell their produce to the government. He said that all Congress-ruled states will delist fruits and vegetables from APMC Act by January 15, 2014.
The Congress leader added that all Congress chief ministers will implement ESMA to sternly deal with hoarding, black marketing and profiteering.
The party has also decided to implement the public distribution system to ensure food reaches "intended beneficiaries".
The fifth strategy is the setting up of fair price shops. Maken said that all Congress ruled states will open fair price shops to control prices of essential commodities like sell, fruits, vegetables and eggs.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, who was also present during the press conference, reiterated that the party was committed towards tackling corruption. "We want to get accountability of national level Lokpal to state level Lokayukta as well. Lokpal is only a first step. We need a frame work to tackle corruption," he said.
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