Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday made a wide range of promises to cover almost all sections of women if his party was voted to power in the forthcoming general elections.

Reaching out to the women electorate at Jeypore in Koraput district, about 500km from here, Rahul promised free higher and technical education for girls and enhancement of pension amount for widows if the Congress formed the government in Odisha in the coming Assembly election.

Pledging to provide financial assistance to poor girls when they get married, Rahul also expressed the resolve to pass the women’s reservation bill in Parliament if the Congress won. The bill seeks to provide 33 per cent seats for women in legislative bodies.

Congratulating the gathering on International Women’s Day, he said: “For the women of Odisha, we have decided in our (election) manifesto that we will give them free education to purse higher studies — whether it is technical, school, college or medical or any kind of higher education.”

The Congress, if voted to power in the state, “will give financial assistance to poor girls during their marriage and enhance widow pension to Rs 2,000 per month”.

Rahul said: “Our government will appoint special officers at panchayat levels to assist women.” To assist budding women entrepreneurs a financial corporation would be set up, he said.

Expressing concern over crime against women, Rahul said the Congress government would follow the policy of zero tolerance in this regard.

On the issue rising cases of rape and atrocities on women, he said: “The Prime Minister and chief ministers must make their views clear. The message should be direct and clear. ”

He was referring to the case of a BJP MLA being accused of allegedly raping a girl in Unnao last year.

Interacting with women, Rahul said that the Congress had introduced reservation for women in panchayats. “There is an urgent need to provide reservation for women. The Congress will pass the women reservation bill in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha,” he said.

On reduction of maternal mortality, Rahul said the issue could be solved through improving education system and building proper medical infrastructure. “We will allocate more budgets for schools and colleges, strengthen women self-help groupd and link them to the banking system.”

Rahul reminded the women how Prime Minister Modi had taken away the Rafale project and handed over to the Anil Ambani. “Rs 30,000 crore has been handed over to him. It’s your money. The bank never waives your money. But waived Rs 3.5 lakh crore of money of 15 people,” he said.