Schemes vs joblessness, graft: The choice before Telangana

Welfare schemes, sops

The central plank of the BRS have been its welfare schemes. Its direct cash transfers to farmers as part of Rythu Bandhu and Dalits through Dalit Bandhu, along with its scheme distributing sheep to OBC communities, have helped the party build a strong support base.

Taking it a notch up, the BRS promised several sops in its manifesto released on October 15. The party announced that ration card holders will receive 5 kg of fortified rice through PDS shops and that 93 lakh BPL families will get life insurance premium under the KCR Bhima scheme.

The BRS also promised that the Aasara monthly pension for senior citizens, widows, beedi workers, filaria victims, single women, and handloom weavers would be raised to Rs 5,000 in the next two years from the existing Rs 3,016, with the monthly pension amount for handicapped persons going up from Rs 4,016 to Rs 6,016.

It has also increased a hike in the Rythu Bandhu scheme from Rs 10,000 per acre to Rs 12,000. The party has decided to provide a gas cylinder for Rs 400 to “deserving poor women”. Sources in the BJP said they are likely to announce something on LPG cylinders in their manifesto.

Replicating its Karnataka strategy, the Congress has already announced its five “guarantees” in Telangana.

More such measures are likely to follow. As per D Sridhar Babu, chairman of the TPCC manifesto committee, the party is likely to promise 10 grams of gold to eligible women at the time of marriage and Rs 1 lakh and free Internet to students.

Government jobs

The irregularities and problems in conducting the state’s public service examinations have become core issues shaping the discourse ahead of the coming polls.

The notifications for government jobs were issued in the state in 2022 after a gap of four years. But these exams have been stuck in a limbo, causing distress to aspirants.

On September 23, the Telangana High Court cancelled the Group-1 preliminary examination, finding that the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) was not following due procedure while administering it. The HC pronounced its verdict based on a petition filed by members of the Congress’s NSUI, who alleged there was no biometric verification during the Group-1 preliminary examination and that the OMR sheets were provided without including hall ticket numbers.

The Group 2 exams scheduled for November 2 and 3 were postponed on account of the Assembly elections to be held in Telangana on November 30. More than 5.5 lakh candidates had applied for this exam for over 750 vacancies in the state government.

The suicide of a 23-year-old who was prepping for Group 2 exams, on October 13, allegedly over postponement of the exams, has raised anger among the student community.

The Congress and the BJP have already begun hitting out at the BRS over the issue and are likely to ramp up their campaign.

Corruption

The Opposition is also targeting the incumbent BRS over alleged corruption by KCR and his family by referring to a comment the CM had made earlier this year.

At a party function, the CM had warned some of his MLAs after he received reports that they were seeking money from beneficiaries of the Dalit Bandhu and housing schemes in the state.

KCR’s daughter and MLC K Kavitha’s alleged involvement in the Delhi excise policy case is also likely to be a hot issue in the run-up to the polls. The CBI summoned Kavitha last December and recorded her statement in connection with the case. Last month, the ED summoned Kavitha after which she approached the Supreme court. The top court directed the ED to not issue summons to her till November 20.