KCR unveils BRS manifesto for Telangana that aims to steal the thunder from Congress’ 6 guarantees

Related: Congress unveils Karnataka 2.0 for Telangana with 6 guarantees

The big-ticket announcements

The most attractive of KCR’s new promises was KCR Bheema – Prati Intiki Dheema — a life insurance scheme for all the 93 lakh families in the state who hold white ration cards.

Highlights of the BRS manifesto for the Assembly polls. (South First)

Modelled on the existing Rythu Bheema, the scheme envisages payment of ₹5 lakh in the event of the death of the breadwinner in the family.

“The government will pay the premium, which works out close to ₹3,600-4,000 crore,” said the chief minister while releasing the manifesto at Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad.

In what should come as music to the ears of farmers, the chief minister also promised a payment of ₹16,000 per acre per year under Rythu Bandhu in phases.

At present, the government is paying ₹10,000 per acre per year, which the BRS proposes to raise to ₹12,000 in the first year and gradually after that till the amount becomes ₹16,000.

Another scheme that was sure to jell with women was subsidising the price of LPG cylinders. If the Congress promised LPG cylinders at ₹500, the BRS manifesto reduced the price by another ₹100, making it ₹400.

Another important scheme that BRS promises to usher in aimed at women from economically weaker sections is the Soubhagya Lakshmi scheme that promises ₹3,000 monthly payout. This is a kind of sustenance allowance for them.

The scheme is akin to the Gruha Lakshmi scheme in Karnataka that transfers ₹2000 per month into the bank accounts of eligible women household heads. The Congress is Telangana had promised ₹2,500 for women as part of its guarantees.

Related: Appointment of in-charges puts BRS’ priority seats in focus

Increase in pensions

As against the Congress’ promise of payment of ₹4,000 under Cheyutha to senior citizens, KCR came out with a steep hike in the payment of pensions.

The amount payable under the Aasara scheme will be increased to ₹5,000 in phases.

At present, the government is paying ₹2,016, which would be increased to ₹3,016 in the first year. Every year after that, there would be a hike until the amount becomes ₹5,016.

Similarly, the pension payable under Aasara to the physically challenged would be increased to ₹6,016 from the current ₹4,106. The hike would be in phases, said KCR.

Also read: Telangana set for a bipolar contest, closer than BRS assumed

Other promises

The BRS also proposed the supply of fine rice to all holders of white ration cards at fair-price shops instead of coarse rice under the Annapoorna scheme.

The BRS also proposed the construction of another 1 lakh double-bedroom houses in Hyderabad.

Under Arogya Sree, the BRS proposed to raise the limit up to ₹15 lakh for all Arogya Sree cards. At present the upper limit is ₹5 lakh.

The BRS also promised allotment of house sites to the poor who did not have land of their own to construct houses.

Residential schools would be set up for the children from the upper castes at the rate of one such school in each Assembly constituency.

The BRS also proposed the construction of buildings for women’s self-help groups.

The party also proposed the constitution of a committee to study the feasibility of continuing the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) for those who are now being covered under it.

The chief minister, on the occasion, distributed B-forms to 51 candidates as only that many could be readied as it involved an elaborate process.