SRINAGAR: National Conference vice-president

Omar Abdullah

Monday said his party would fight for the restoration of political and legal status of Jammu & Kashmir and promised 200 units of

free power

if his party wins the

Assembly polls

. Omar, while unveiling NC’s

poll manifesto

here on Monday, also promised to ensure the return of

Kashmiri Pandits

.
The manifesto also promised an increase in free rice allocation to 10 kg per person per month.

J&K will go to polls in three phases from Sept 18 and votes will be counted on October 4.
He said NC would fight for the rights of the people and remind the Supreme Court of the Centre’s promise of restoring statehood in J&K. “If Centre delays it, we will approach the SC and remind it of the Centre’s promise,” he said.

Elaborating on the manifesto, Omar said his party promises to strengthen the public distribution system and ensure people get sugar and kerosene from ration depots.
“We also promise to seek release of all political prisoners who aren’t involved in heinous crimes,” he said. Omar said that it was unfortunate that Jamaat-e-Islami won’t contest polls openly.
NC, in its manifesto, promised to work towards repealing the Public Safety Act, enacted by Omar’s grandfather Sheikh Abdullah in the early 80s to curb timber smuggling. Successive govts applied it to people involved in terror activities and other offences.

While promising to end “unjust” termination of govt employees, the manifesto promised to provide govt jobs to one lakh unemployed youth.
Among other promises, the NC manifesto talked of six LPG cylinders given free of cost to EWS families. Free travel in all public transport to women would be ensured, Omar said.
“We will implement a one-time settlement for electricity bill arrears in both rural and urban areas. To meet industry demand, we will explore feasible ways to provide respite in power tariffs, ensuring a more favourable environment for industrial growth and sustainability,” he said.