HYDERABAD: By including several new schemes in the BRS's election manifesto, which he released on Sunday, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao tried to not only please all sections of the society but also score over the Congress, which announced six guarantees for the people of Telangana.
While increasing the amount for the ongoing schemes like Rythu Bandhu and Aasara pensions, the BRS president announced new schemes like KCR Bima, Prati Intiki Dheema, free insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh to around 93 lakh BPL families, Soubhagya Lakshmi to provide Rs 3,000 maintenance amount to eligible women, Telangana Annapoorna Pathakam for providing fine variety of rice and providing domestic gas refill at Rs 400. But, there was no mention of the number of cylinders to be given per year. The Congress had assured domestic gas refill for Rs 500.
While the Congress promised to give Rs 2,500 per month to women, the BRS announced Rs 3,000 per month. It assured Rs 15,000 for farmers, whereas the BRS announced that Rythu Bandhu's amount will be hiked to Rs 16,000. The grand old party assured Rs 10 lakh under Rajiv Aarogyasri, the BRS Rs 15 lakh under Aarogyasri. While the Congress promised Rs 4,000 monthly pension under the Cheyutha scheme, the BRS assured it would hike the Aasara pension to Rs 5,000.
Reacting to the BRS manifesto, TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy quipped: “It is not an auction for arrack shop.” The BRS leaders, however, alleged that Congress copied their ongoing schemes. But, the BRS said it took a leaf out of the Andhra Pradesh government’s policy, which hiked the social security pensions every year. “AP successfully implemented the social security pensions and increased it to Rs 3,000 now,” the chief minister said.
Burden on exchequer
However, the new schemes and enhanced existing schemes burden the exchequer by around Rs 20,000 crore per year and the welfare budget may touch Rs 1 lakh crore.
The State budget is Rs 3 lakh crore. However the BRS leaders averred that they know the State’s economic situation and that they will implement these schemes without any issues. Meanwhile, according to an unofficial estimate, if the Congress assurances were to be implemented it would require anywhere between Rs 40,000 crore to Rs 50,000 crore per year. The chief minister said that the State’s income was growing due to prudent fiscal policy. He said that increasing the wealth and distributing it among the eligible beneficiaries is the policy of the BRS.
“Telangana is No. 1 in both welfare and capital expenditure,” he said.