Post Karnataka success, Congress announces 6 guarantees in Telangana
Sonia Gandhi has added more to the guarantees the party had given to the electorate in Karnataka in the hope of fulfilling her dream of winning Telangana
Taking a leaf out of its ‘Karnataka Model’, the Congress on Sunday (September 17) announced six guarantees at a massive rally in Hyderabad, the capital city of Telangana, which is going to polls in December this year.
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi announced the Maha Laxmi scheme, Rythu Bharosa, Ambedkar Abhay Hastam, Yuva Vikasam and Mahila Sadhukaratha in the ‘Vijayabheri’ rally. “To fulfill the aspiration of the people of Telangana, of my brothers and sisters of Telangana, we are announcing six guarantees, Maha Laxmi being the first one, and we are committed to fulfilling them,” Sonia said.
The schemes and benefits under them announced by the former Congress president are as follows:
• Maha Laxmi: Each woman beneficiary will get a monthly pension of Rs 2,500 under the scheme. The women have also been promised cooking gas cylinder at a discounted price of Rs 500 and free bus travel across the state.
• Rythu Bharosa: If voted to power, the Congress government will give Rs 17,000 per acre to each farmer and the tenant farmer under the scheme, while each Gari (agricultural) laborer will get Rs 12,000. Paddy farmers will be paid Rs 500 extra per quintal in addition to MSP.
• Yuva Vikasam: Under this scheme, students will be given Vidya Bharosa cards each worth Rs 5 lakh to support their education. The Congress will also set up Telangana International School in every block of the state.
• Ambedkar Abhaaya Hastam: Financial assistance of Rs 12 lakh will provided to the members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to start their own business.
• Indramma Indlu: Homeless people will each be given plots and Rs 5 lakh to build houses on them.
• Mahila Sadhukaratha: One-time assistance of Rs 3 lakh will be provided to women of BPL families under the scheme. Mahila Sadhukaratha means women's empowerment.
Women empowerment was the underlying theme of Sonia's address. She dreams of the Congress forming government in Telangana, she said.
The rally was attended by Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minster DK Shivakumar and Telangana Congress chief Reanth Reddy, among others.
The party had its newly reconstituted CWC meeting in Hyderabad a day earlier on Saturday (September 16).