KCR Woos Voters With New Schemes, Hikes in Current Benefits

Hyderabad: The BRS promised in its election manifesto, released by party president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao here on Sunday, a life insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh to each of the 93 lakh below poverty line (BPL) families under a scheme titled ‘KCR Bheema-Prati Intiki Dheema’.

The Chief Minister said the government would bear the annual premium of Rs 4,000 and insurance would cover both accidental and natural death. The Life Insurance Corporation of India would be approached for this scheme. He also promised enhanced healthcare assistance to Rs 15 lakh under Aarogyasri, which will be rechristened as ‘KCR Aarogya Raksha’.

To give sanctity to his poll promises, Chandrashekar Rao announced that the BRS would give more than what others had promised, but would increase the assistance gradually as the state revenues increase year-on-year.

The manifesto appeared to be a combination of promises of enhancing financial assistance extended through the existing schemes and introducing new ones with a focus on middle and lower-middle-income groups.

Rao announced gas cylinder refills at Rs 400 to eligible persons, including accredited journalists, and monthly aid of Rs 3,000 for women under the ’Soubhagyalakshmi scheme’, a counter to the Congress’ ‘Mahalakshmi’. This scheme has the rider of eligibility criteria.

Other promises include the supply of a fine variety of rice to all BPL families under the Annapurna scheme, a policy to treat orphans as the state’s children and include them in a particular caste, as well as providing housing for those without their own houses.  

Notably, the manifesto did not speak on recruitment for government jobs and payment of unemployment allowance, in the backdrop of the youths agitating over the failure of the Telangana State Public Service Commission to conduct competitive examinations.

With regard to employees, the Chief Minister did not commit to their important demand to revert to the Old Pension Scheme in place of the Contributory Pension Scheme. Instead, he assured that the BRS, if elected, would appoint a high-level official committee to study the best possible pension scheme.

Chandrashekar Rao announced that the BRS, if voted to power, would increase the assistance given under his government’s flagship programme Rythu Bandhu from Rs 10,000 to Rs 16,000, in phases: A hike of Rs 2,000 will be effected from March 2024 and Rs 1,000 every year thereon.

Similarly, Aasara pensions will be increased to Rs 5,000 by 2028 with a Rs 1,000 hike in the first year and Rs 500 every subsequent year. The pension for differently-abled persons will be enhanced from Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000 in the next five years.

The Chief Minister complemented his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for successfully implementing the gradually enhanced pension scheme for the destitute population. “He did a really good job,” Rao said.

He promised the construction of one lakh more double-bedroom houses in Hyderabad, allotting house sites for the homeless poor, residential schools for the economically weak among “so-called upper castes”, own buildings for women thrift groups and rights to sell assigned land.

The BRS manifesto

BRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao promises some new schemes and a gradual increase of assistance in others.

NEW

- Rs 5 lakh life cover each to 93 lakh below poverty line (BPL) families under ‘KCR Bheema-Prati Intiki Dheema’.

- Aarogyasri, renamed as ‘KCR Aarogya Raksha’, will offer increased cover up to Rs 15 lakh.

- LPG refills at Rs 400 to eligible persons, including accredited journalists.

- Rs 3,000 monthly aid to women under ’Soubhagyalakshmi scheme’.

- Fine variety of rice to all BPL families under the Annapurna scheme.

- Orphans to be treated as the state’s children, added to a particular caste.

- Housing, house sites for those without their own houses.

- 1 lakh 2BHK units in Hyderabad.

- Residential schools for the economically weak among the ‘upper castes’.

- Rights to sell assigned land.

- Panel to study best pension scheme for government staff.

 

Hiked benefits

- Rythu Bandhu aid to increase from Rs 10,000 to Rs 16,000, in phases.

- Aasara pensions to be increased to Rs 5,000 by 2028.

- Pension for differently abled persons to go up from Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000 in five years.