Telangana: Congress announcement of Rs 4,000 monthly pension draws flak

Since Assembly elections were fast approaching, the Congress was trying to cheat the people with fake assurances, said BRS spokesperson D Shravan

Hyderabad: Strange are the ways of the Congress party. While, the Congress ruled Karnataka, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh governments offer a paltry monthly pension, party senior leader Rahul Gandhi announced that Rs 4,000 pension would be offered to senior citizens and widows in Telangana, if elected to power.

The Congress has been in power at Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and was elected in Karnataka in the recent elections. Interestingly, the monthly pension offered in Chhattisgarh is Rs 350, Rajasthan it is Rs 750 and in Karnataka it is Rs 800. While, the above three States were ruled by Congress party, there was no uniformity in monthly pensions.

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On the contrary, Telangana is one among the States, which offers the highest monthly pension to senior citizens and widows. Senior citizens and widows are being offered a monthly pension of Rs 2,016 and physically challenged persons draw a pension of Rs 4,000.

This apart, in the past, the eligibility for obtaining pensions under the Aasara scheme was 65 years. The eligibility was cut down to 57 years by the State Government last year. Accordingly the total number of pensioners under the scheme increased to 45.80 lakh.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s announcement to offer Rs 4,000 monthly pension is drawing flak from the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

BRS MLA D Sudheer Reddy demanded that Congress party should implement the monthly pension of Rs.4,000 in Karnataka, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. “Congress is ruling in a few States. It should make these announcements in those States and then make such assurances in Telangana,” said Sudheer Reddy.

Making light of Rahul Gandhi’s promises, BRS spokesperson D Shravan said these announcements were made only to influence the voters in the State.

Since Assembly elections were fast approaching, the Congress was trying to cheat the people with fake assurances. Similar announcements were made during the 2018 elections as well but people had disregarded the Congress, he said.

“Irrespective of the fake assurances being made by Congress, Telangana people have already decided to elect Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for the third consecutive term,” Shravan said.