Six Guarantees: 500 days, and Telangana still waits
Key schemes including Rythu Bharosa, Mahalakshmi, Cheyuta and Yuva Vikasam have not been implemented by the Congress in the entire form
HYDERABAD: Five hundred days and Telangana is still counting. From farmers and students to the elderly, from women to the unemployed youth, all those who have been waiting for implementation of the Six Guarantees appear to have lost hope.
On November 30, 2023, the Congress party issued front page advertisements in all newspapers assuring that the Six Guarantees would be implemented within 100 days after coming to power in the State. On December 7, 2023, the Congress government was sworn in. Soon after assuming charge, Cabinet Ministers again assured that the guarantees would be implemented within 100 days.
On October 2 last year, the government completed 300 days in power and yet many of the guarantees were not fulfilled. On Monday, it will complete 500 days, and save for a few, majority of the promises still remain on paper.
From Rythu Bharosa to Mahalakshmi, from Cheyuta to Yuva Vikasam, none of the guarantees have seen implementation in the entire form.
The worst part is that after 500 days, the probability of implementing the Six Guarantees appears to be far from becoming a reality since there are many sub components under each guarantee.
In 100 days, the Congress had promised to extend a monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,500 to women. Under the Mahalakshmi scheme, free bus travel was being offered and distribution of domestic gas cylinder for Rs 500 was being implemented partially. But there is no word about the Rs 2,500 financial assistance promised under the same scheme.
Under Rythu Bharosa, farmers and tenant farmers were promised that Rs 15,000 assistance would be extended per acre per year. Similarly, farm labourers were assured that Rs 12,000 would be offered a year. But the farmers and farm labourers were given a raw deal. After promising Rs 15,000, the Congress government took a ‘U’ turn and cut down the support to Rs 12,000 per year. And even that has not been given to all farmers, not to mention the plight of tenant farmers.
Under the Indiramma Indlu scheme, homeless people were assured Rs.5 lakh financial assistance and a house site. Taking another ‘U’ turn, the Congress government said initially Rs.5 lakh assistance would be extended in instalments to those owning house plots to build their houses. The scheme was formally launched by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on March 11, 2024 and till date, not a single application has been processed, not a single brick has been laid under the scheme.
Same is the case with Yuva Vikasam, with students being promised that each would be offered a Vidya Bharosa Card worth Rs.5 lakh. International schools were promised in each mandal. The scheme is yet to take off.
Under the Cheyutha scheme, the elderly were promised that the monthly pension would be enhanced from Rs.2,000 to Rs.4,000. Leave aside Rs.4000, many are not getting the Rs.2,000 itself.
With the complete failure of the Congress, many are now saying that Telangana’s pain turned out to be a blessing for Maharashtra and Haryana, where people did not vote for the Congress after seeing what was happening in Telangana.
