Telangana Congress government: A long list of unkept promises

While some schemes have made notable progress, several others are mired in delays, fiscal constraints, and administrative bottlenecks.

Raj Rayasam

Published Aug 18, 2025 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 18, 2025 | 9:00 AM

The Congress-led Telangana government released the logo, poster, and application form for the six guarantees on 27 December. (X)

Synopsis: A majority of the promises made by the Telangana Congress under Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy remain either unfulfilled or only partially implemented. While some schemes have made notable progress, several others are mired in delays, fiscal constraints, and administrative bottlenecks.

More than a year and a half since coming to power, a majority of the promises made by the Telangana Congress under Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy remain either unfulfilled or only partially implemented.

When the Congress came to power in December 2023, riding on a bold manifesto of six key “guarantees” covering 14 specific promises, it raised expectations of rapid transformation.

These guarantees were designed to be rolled out within the first 100 days. In addition, the manifesto included a wide set of commitments across agriculture, women’s empowerment, youth employment, social justice, and governance reforms.

However, as of mid-August 2025, implementation has been uneven. While some schemes have made notable progress, several others are mired in delays, fiscal constraints, and administrative bottlenecks.

The Congress government has chalked up successes with free travel for women, subsidised gas cylinders, free electricity, and partial loan waivers, but it is under mounting pressure on the delivery of its larger promises, especially concerning women’s financial aid, student scholarships, job creation, and housing.

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Implemented or partially implemented promises

Women’s Empowerment – Mahalakshmi Guarantee

Free bus travel for women was rolled out in December 2023. It has since subsidised more than ₹1,300 crore in travel expenses, substantially improving mobility.

Subsidised gas cylinders at ₹500 began in February 2024, benefiting about 42 lakh households.

Monthly assistance of ₹2,500 to women, however, remains unfulfilled—a significant gap in the flagship scheme.

Farmers – Rythu Bharosa Guarantee

Promised annual investment: ₹15,000 per acre for landowners, ₹12,000 for tenant farmers and agricultural labourers, plus a ₹500 paddy bonus per quintal.

The bonus has been extended only to superfine paddy varieties, leaving a large section of farmers dissatisfied.

Aid for tenant farmers remains ambiguous, fueling protests.

Free Power – Gruha Jyothi Guarantee

The scheme of 200 units of free electricity per household was rolled out in February 2024 and stands as one of the more successfully implemented welfare measures.

Housing – Indiramma Indlu Guarantee

Promised ₹5 lakh construction aid and 250-square-yard plots for Telangana movement activists.

While some beneficiaries have received financial support, full-scale implementation has not begun. Plots for activists remain stalled.

Youth Development – Yuva Vikasam

Promised Vidya Bharosa student cards worth ₹5 lakh, international schools in every mandal, and filling 2 lakh jobs.

Budgetary allocation of ₹11,000 crore for schools has been made, but Vidya Bharosa cards are still pending.

Of the promised jobs, around 57,946 posts have been filled by March 2025, leaving a major shortfall.

Farm Loan Waiver

Loans up to ₹2 lakh were to be waived. Roughly ₹20,617 crore has been disbursed to 25 lakh farmers in tranches, but delays and errors in beneficiary lists reduced its impact.

Here is the long list of promises not kept by the Congress government as of August 2025

Daily “Public Darbar” at the Chief Minister’s Camp Office.
Enactment of the Right to Public Services Act and setting up a portal for public grievances to ensure transparent resolution within a stipulated time.
Reorganisation of districts and mandals, and creation of new districts and mandals.
Naming one newly formed district after PV Narasimha Rao.
Providing students with an Education Assurance Card worth ₹5 lakhs.
Increasing scholarships for Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Backward Class (BC), and minority students and ensuring timely disbursement.
Financial assistance of ₹25 lakhs for eligible BC, SC, ST, minority, and Economically Backward Class (EBC) students pursuing foreign education.
Establishing a high school and junior college in every mandal headquarters.
Setting up a degree college in every constituency headquarters.
Establishing one postgraduate college in every district headquarters.
Restoring the past glory of 67 degree and other aided colleges in the state.
Setting up one new Gurukulam for BCs in every mandal (similar to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas) and one new degree college in every district.
Increasing old-age and disability pensions.
Providing old-age pensions to all senior citizens above 57 years in the state.
₹2,500 per month for every woman.
Under the Kalyana Masthu scheme, providing ₹1,00,000 financial aid for the marriage of every poor girl, along with 10 grams (tola) of gold as “Indiramma Gift.”
Financial assistance of ₹1,60,000 for brides from Muslim, Christian, and Sikh minority communities.
Revival of the “Bangaru Talli” scheme, providing financial aid for every newborn girl child.
Increasing the monthly salary of Anganwadi teachers to ₹18,000, bringing them under EPF, and ensuring job security.
Granting full ownership rights, including sale and purchase, to Podu land farmers and assigned land beneficiaries.
Recognising the youth who sacrificed their lives in the first and second phases of the Telangana movement as “Udyamakarulu” (movement activists) and providing government jobs to one family member along with a ₹25,000 monthly pension (Amaraveerula Gaurav Pension).
Allocating 250 square yards of housing land to recognised Telangana movement activists.
Filling two lakh government job vacancies within the first year of coming to power.
Providing ₹4,000 monthly unemployment allowance to unemployed youth until employment opportunities are secured.
Setting up a centralised online registration portal for employment, establishing employment exchanges in seven zones, and skill development centres in every district.
Establishing “Telangana Study Circles” in all constituencies for competitive exam coaching.
Creating a Rural Youth Finance Corporation with ₹1,000 crores to promote self-employment among youth.Providing electric scooters to every girl student above 18 years pursuing education.
Setting up two schools in Warangal and Hyderabad for the children of police and RTC employees, ensuring quality education from 6th grade until recruitment.
Increasing SC reservations to 18 percent based on population proportion.
Providing ₹12 lakhs financial aid to SC/ST families under the “Ambedkar Abhaya Hastham” scheme.

Also Read: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy pitches for welfare-centric governance in I-Day address

Financial rewards for SC/ST students:

₹10,000 for passing 10th class
₹15,000 for passing Intermediate
₹25,000 for graduation
₹1 lakh for PG
₹5 lakhs for M.Phil/Ph.D.

Under “Abdul Kalam Taufa-e-Taleem”, financial aid for minority students:

₹10,000 (10th pass)
₹15,000 (Intermediate pass)
₹25,000 (Graduation)
₹1 lakh (PG)
₹5 lakhs (M.Phil/Ph.D.)

Full fee reimbursement for BC students from families with an annual income below ₹3 lakhs, irrespective of rank.
Including Mudiraj, Mutrasi, and Tenugollu communities in BC-A from BC-D.
Including Valmiki Boyas in the ST list.
Creating a separate MBC welfare ministry to oversee the development of MBC communities.
Allocating five acres per village for palm tree cultivation, with 90 percent subsidy on palm saplings, drip irrigation, and compound walls.
Increasing reservations for Gouds in liquor shop licenses from 15 percent to 25 percent.
Establishing corporations for various social groups and allocating funds.
Creating a separate corporation for nomadic tribes.
Securing Telangana’s rightful share in Krishna River waters.
Handing over maintenance and repairs of 40,000 lakes to water user associations.
Setting up 100-bed super-speciality and maternity hospitals in every constituency.
Establishing 100-bed hospitals in all municipalities.
Converting all ration shops into mini-supermarkets.
Scrapping the CPS (Contributory Pension Scheme) and reverting to the old pension scheme.
Completing the merger of RTC employees into the government and clearing two PRC arrears immediately.
Providing all facilities and benefits to RTC employees on par with state government employees.
Reviving the RTC Union.
Resolving all issues of Home Guards, including salary revisions.
Setting up a welfare board for auto drivers to ensure social security.
Providing ₹12,000 annual financial aid to every auto driver.
Complete abolition of belt shops.
Removing the 2014 PF cutoff date for Bidi workers and providing pensions.
Providing ₹3,000 monthly pension to folk artists above 50 years.
Providing ₹3,000 monthly livelihood allowance to Oggu-Dappu artists.
Issuing identity cards to small traders, footpath vendors, and pushcart vendors, and providing interest-free loans through banks.
Establishing “Cultural Convention Centres” like Ravindra Bharati in every joint district headquarters.
Setting up a welfare board for Hamalis (porters) and providing them with health cards.
Developing “Hamali Nagar” in every mandal headquarters and allocating houses.
Setting up four advanced maternity hospitals and four advanced veterinary hospitals in Hyderabad.
Waiving penalty on pending property tax and house tax in municipalities, corporations, and gram panchayats.
Reducing house tax for owners with white ration cards.
Taking steps to secure central funds for the ITIR project development in Hyderabad.

(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)