Life insurance cover of ₹5 lakh to over 93 lakh below poverty line (BPL) families on the lines of Rythu Bima being implemented to farmers, superfine rice supply through the public distribution system to all ration card holders under Telangana Annapurna scheme, monthly honorarium of ₹3,000 per eligible woman under Saubhagya Laxmi scheme are some of the promises rolled out in the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) manifesto announced on October 15
Disclosing the features of the party’s manifesto after giving B-Forms and cheques of ₹40 lakh each for poll expenditure as funding to 51 candidates in BRS head office Telangana Bhavan, party’s president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao announced increase in the Aasara pension amount to old-aged, single women, differently-abled and others. It would be increased from ₹2,016 a month to ₹5,000 in a phased manner and to the physically challenged from ₹3,016 to ₹6,000.
The amount, however, would be increased to ₹3,000 a month from April next and it would be hiked by ₹500 a year from the next year onwards to old-aged, single women and others who are getting ₹2,016 a month now. Similarly, the differently-abled persons would get ₹5,000 a month from April next from the present ₹3,016 and it would be increased by ₹300 from next year onward till it reached ₹6,000 a month.
On the same lines, the benefit under the flagship scheme of Rythu Bandhu would be increased to ₹16,000 an acre an year from the existing ₹10,000. It would be increased to ₹12,000 from the next Kharif season and another ₹1,000 each would be increased from the next year onwards, Mr. Rao explained that they were promising such phased increase so that there were no problems in the implementation.
Announcing more to BPL families, the BRS chief said domestic gas cylinders would be supplied to them at ₹400 and the accredited journalists too would get it. Under Aarogya Sri health scheme, the treatment cover would be enhanced to ₹15 lakh including accredited journalists. Mr. Rao stated that both the double-bedroom housing and Gruhalaxmi schemes would be continued along with allotment of house sites to the poor.
In a bid to attract the unreserved communities (upper castes), Mr. Rao said one residential school each would be opened in all the 119 constituencies for them. For employees, he announced constitution of a committee to examine the possibilities of implementing old pension scheme. For those holding assigned lands, the BRS manifesto has assured to provide complete rights over lands so that they could dispose it in times of need.
