HYDERABAD: “I will be voting for the first time and I am very confused on who shall I cast my vote to,” says Mallepally Saraswathi, a student of Nizam College in Hyderabad. The safety of women and more job opportunities are some of the issues weighing on her mind this election. Saraswathi is one of the 1.58 lakh female voters who will be casting their vote on November 30. All political parties have rolled out pre-poll promises to woo the female voters of the State.
In the election manifesto of the ruling BRS party released on Sunday, the pink party has promised an allowance of Rs 3,000 per month and gas cylinders for Rs 400 to all deserving women in the State. The party has also promised buildings for all women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in the State.
The Congress party has promised to introduce the Mahalakshmi scheme - financial assistance of Rs 2,500 a month to women - if they are elected to power. Domestic LPG cylinder refills for Rs 500 and free travel for women in Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) buses also feature in the Party’s guarantees for the State.
State BJP president, G Kishan Reddy, recently said that the saffron party will close all unauthorised liquor outlets, or “belt shops”, in the State if it is voted to power. This has been a long-standing demand of women organisations in the State.
Greeshma Seetelly, one of the volunteers for Voice for Girls, a non-governmental organisation, often interacts with young girls and knows about the difficulties faced in life. In her first election as a voter, she would like to see all political parties push for the education of the girl child. “The education system should not only give bookish knowledge to children but should also teach them about the difference between good touch, bad touch and social evils like dowry and domestic violence,” she says.
Dr Seema Ghosh, who works as a teacher in the city, stressed on the need to include financial literacy in curriculums. “It is a very important skill for a woman,” she says. Commenting on the city’s infrastructure, Seema said, “Hyderabad’s infrastructure is fairly good, barring monsoons.” Ghosh adds that safety has never been a concern for her in the city.
According to Seetelly, the same cannot be said about the villages in the State. “Many cases of domestic violence do not come out. Women should know their legal rights,” she states. She believes that all parties must give more tickets to women candidates.
For homemaker Sujatha Uyyala, it is becoming difficult to run her house on a tight budget due to high Goods and Services Tax (GST) on all products and the rising prices of gas cylinders. Emphasising the importance of financial literacy for women, she says, “Political parties should provide direct loans or subsidies for women to establish small businesses. They should also organise micro-skilling programmes for women so that they can earn money staying at home.