Telangana Deputy CM Vikramarka denies making unemployment allowance promise, manifesto disagrees

Vikramarka told the Assembly said that the party had promised jobs and not unemployment allowance — and sparked a controversy.

ByAjay Tomar

Published Dec 21, 2023 | 5:01 PM ⚊UpdatedDec 22, 2023 | 11:55 AM

Telangana Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti's statement that Congress didn't promise ₹4,000 unemployment allowance sparks controversy

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka.

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka sparked a controversy, saying the Congress had never promised unemployment allowance in its six guarantees or poll promises made to the people of the state ahead of the 30 November Assembly polls.

Vikramarka, who also holds the Finance portfolio, made the statement while addressing the Assembly on Wednesday, 20 December.

“We promised jobs (in the election manifesto), not assistance (unemployment allowance) as part of the six guarantees,” Vikramarka said.

However, the BRS lashed out at the Deputy Chief Minister and sought to know if he was denying that AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi had made the promise.

Related: Priyanka Gandhi appeals to Telangana to vote for change

₹4,000 unemployment allowance in manifesto 

Unemployment was one of the major issues that the Congress had highlighted during its poll campaign. The party had then promised an unemployment allowance of ₹4,000 to every unemployed youth till they get jobs.

Priyanka Gandhi made the promise at the party’s Hyderabad Youth Declaration on 8 May this year, while urging Telangana to vote for change.

“We will give ₹4,000 as a monthly allowance to the unemployed youth. And it would not be the kind of allowance that you (people) have never seen,” she said, referring to former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s alleged unkept promise.

South First checked the Hyderabad Youth Declaration. It promised “unemployment assistance of ₹4,000 till the job opportunities are created” in the fourth line under the second sub-head, “Transparent government jobs allotment”.

Gandhi also said that the party would fill two lakh government jobs in the first year of its governance and also clear the backlog of posts for Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/Backward Class (SC/ST/BC) and minority communities.

She added that the Congress would be committed to publishing a job calendar with vacancies in all departments by 2 June and the recruitments would be completed by 17 September.

Related: Congress makes multiple promises under 6 guarantees

Congress is ‘cheating’

BRS spokesperson Krishank Manne was quick to point out Gandhi’s promise soon after Vikramarka’s statement. “Congress in its Declaration released by Priyanka Gandhi ji promised ₹4000 Unemployed Allowance but Deputy CM of Congress denies giving such promise,” he said on X.

“In their Youth Declaration, Priyanka Gandhi released a poster with the party’s promises, including the unemployment allowance. The Telangana Congress Twitter handle also tweeted the same. A manifesto means promise, right?” Krishank asked while speaking to South First.

He added that Vikramarka’s statement showed that the Congress government was deviating from its pre-poll promises.

“This is like cheating the youngster and aspirants. First, they deviated from the Rythu Bharosa (farmer’s insurance) scheme promise and now, they seem to be deviating from the unemployment allowance promise,” Manne said.

Reports suggested that the Revanth Reddy-led government was reviewing the Rythu Bharosa guidelines and planning to provide insurance aid with a cap of 10 acres per farmer.

Meanwhile, several people burnt copies of the Congress party manifesto at Osmania University on Thursday, 21 December.

Sources said Telangana Unemployment JAC Chairman Manavatha Roy cautioned the government that if the White Paper on the ₹4,000 unemployment benefits and 2,000 jobs was not released within the next two months, the youth would hit the streets in protest.

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