Here's the takeaway for Congress from 3-day brainstorming session

Udaipur (Rajasthan), May 15 (PTI) To make the party battle-ready for upcoming electoral challenges, the Congress on Sunday announced wide-ranging organisational reforms, including 'one family, one ticket' and 'one person, one post' norms and a cap of five years on holding a party post.

However, the party has added a caveat to the 'one family, one ticket' formula stating that if another member in one's family is politically active, then only after five years of organisational experience that person should be considered eligible for a Congress ticket.

The party also said a group should be formed by the Congress president from amongst the members of the Congress Working Committee which should give suggestions to the party chief from time to time to take decisions on important matters and help in the implementation of key decisions.

In the Congress' 'Nav Sankalp' declaration that was adopted at the end of the three-day 'Chintan Shivir' here, the party also decided to set up a public insight department, a national training institute and an election management department.

Asserting that the organisation and grassroots workers of the Congress are the real strength of the party, the declaration said that in the next 90 to 180 days, accountability should be ensured by filling up all vacancies at block, district, state and national levels.

The party also decided to establish intermediary 'Mandal Congress Committees" between booth and block committees.

The Congress will set up a public insight department so that the Congress leadership can get "rational feedback" for knowing the views of the public on different subjects and for policy-making, the declaration said.

It also announced the setting up of national training institute so that the party's leaders and workers can get comprehensive training on the policies, ideology, vision, policies of the government and current burning issues.

This national training institute can be started from 'Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Development Studies' in Kerala, the Udaipur declaration said.

The Congress also said an election management department should be constituted at the level of the All India Congress Committee so that poll preparation is done effectively and expected results are achieved.

The Congress also called for the passage of constitutional amendment to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament, legislative assemblies and legislative councils to ensure the empowerment of women.

The party also changed its stand on "quota within quota" under women's reservation bill, saying women in every category should get the benefit of proportionate reservation.

The party also resolved to raise the demands of SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities across the country through the organisation, and said as a first step, it would press for an SC-ST sub-plan with legal recognition in the budgets of the central and state governments.

The Congress also said starting 2024 Lok Sabha elections, half of its tickets will be given to those below 50 years of age and retirement age will be fixed for those in Parliament, state legislatures and other elected posts.

While adopting the 'Nav Sankalp' declaration, the party said exactly 80 years ago, in the year 1942, Mahatma Gandhi gave the slogan of "Quit India" and in 2022, the slogan of "Jodo India" (Unite India) should be adopted.

At the organisational level, the party said 50 per cent of the posts should go to those below 50 years of age.

Under the General Secretary (Organisation), the work of the office-bearers of the All India Congress Committee, Pradesh Congress Committees and District Congress Committee should also be evaluated so that those doing the best work get a chance to move forward while inactive people can be removed, the party said.

Many views were put forward over the continuation of the same person in a party post for a long time and it is in the interest of the organisation that no person should hold a post for more than five years so that newcomers can get a chance, the Congress declared.

The party also decided to setting up a "Political Affairs Committee" at the level of each state to discuss and decide on different subjects.

The session of All India Congress Committee and State Congress Committees must be organised once in a year, the party asserted, adding that meetings of district, block and mandal committees should also be held regularly.

The party said that on the completion of 75 years of independence, 75-km-long padayatras should be organised at district level from August 9, highlighting the goals of freedom struggle and the spirit of sacrifice.

After recommendations from the party's panel to lead discussion on economic issues at the Shivir, the party called for a recalibration of the economic policies while taking into account global and domestic developments.

Employment generation should be the focus of this "Nav Sankalp Economic Policy" and there can be no place for "jobless growth" in today's India, the party said.