The Congress ploy to turn Indiramma sarees into votes in gram panchayat polls

Ahead of Telangana gram panchayat polls, Congress has relaunched the Bathukamma saree scheme as Indiramma sarees to woo women voters. Analysts question its impact given delays and unfulfilled promises in housing, welfare, education, and pension schemes for women

Hyderabad: Another major election is round the corner and the Congress party has already begun revealing what many call its true colours. After abruptly discontinuing the hugely popular Bathukamma saree scheme introduced by the previous BRS government for women, the Congress government has now relaunched the same programme under a different name, clearly with the forthcoming gram panchayat elections in mind.

The motive is not hard to understand. Women voters form a decisive majority in Telangana’s 12,733 gram panchayats, with 85,36,770 women out of a total rural electorate of 1,67,03,168. Telangana is also among those States where the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act provides a minimum 50 per cent reservation for women in gram panchayat seats. Combined with SC, ST and BC rotation, this makes women the most crucial electoral force during local body elections.

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The Indiramma sarees distribution programme, the ‘revamped’ version of the BRS’ Bathukamma saree scheme, has been launched conveniently at a time when the State Election Commission is preparing to conduct panchayat elections in the second week of December. In the first phase, 65 lakh sarees are being distributed in rural areas by December 9, while 35 lakh sarees are planned between March 1 and 8 in urban areas. The timing and phased target speak for themselves, leaving little doubt about the Congress agenda to woo women voters ahead of the polls.

Whether these sarees will be enough to sway rural Telangana’s women is another question, especially if women have not forgotten the long list of promises made to them by the Congress before coming to power.

Launching the Indiramma saree scheme, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had claimed that women self-help groups would run fuel stations and operate 1,000 TGSRTC buses on lease, and that Indiramma houses would be given in women’s names. He also repeated his sweeping election promise to turn one crore women into millionaires. What he avoided mentioning was the long catalogue of promises made during the 2023 Assembly election campaign that still lie untouched.

Sample this. Under Kalyana Lakshmi, the Congress promised 10 grams of gold with Rs 1 lakh financial aid to the bride’s family. Forget the gold, even the cash is arriving late. In a recent instance in Karimnagar, the cheque was issued not only after the wedding but after the baby arrived!

As part of the Six Guarantees, the Congress also promised Rs 2,500 as monthly assistance to every woman in the State, a Vidya Bharosa Card with Rs.5 lakh for students to pay their tuition fees and coaching fees, and electric scooters for female students aged 18 and above. An enhanced pension of Rs.4,000 was announced for senior citizens, beedi workers, widows and single women. Not one of these schemes has seen implementation so far, despite repeated claims of women’s empowerment being the government’s top priority.

Then comes the ‘Indiramma Indlu’ scheme. Women were promised a house site and Rs 5 lakh assistance. Many months later, the scheme is still entangled in procedural delays, with only a fraction of houses completed and with allegations across almost every panchayat of Congress leaders manipulating allocations in favour of their associates. Domestic gas cylinders at Rs 500 and 200 units of free power were also promised. Though ‘under implementation’, complaints are pouring in daily from women who are struggling to convince officials to approve their eligibility.

The frustration is not limited to beneficiaries alone. Anganwadi teachers and helpers, another key women’s workforce, recently staged a massive protest at the Secretariat complaining that the promised Rs.18,000 monthly salary hike has not been honoured. Neither has the promise to bring them under EPF coverage.

With the ground reality being thus, it remains to be seen whether the Congress’ attempt to convert sarees into votes in rural Telangana will work.

Promises, no action

Congress’ promises to women in Telangana:

• Electric scooters to young women aged 18 years and above and pursuing education (Not implemented)
• Monthly pension of Rs.4,000 to senior citizens, widows, disabled, beedi workers, single women (Not implemented)
• Monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,500 to each and every woman (Not implemented)
• Rs 1 lakh and 10 grams of gold as Indiramma gift to Hindus and Rs 1.60 lakh for minority girls before marriage (No gold, cash delayed inordinately)
• Gas cylinders at Rs 500 (partially implemented with genuine beneficiaries struggling)
• 200 units free electricity assured for all households (partially implemented with mounting complaints)
• Vidya Bharosa Card promised with Rs 5 lakh financial assistance to students for payment of college fees (Not implemented)
• Telangana movement martyrs: Official recognition, government job, monthly honorary pension of Rs 25,000 to mother/father/wife (Not implemented)
• Monthly salary of mid-day meal workers to be increased to Rs 10,000 (Not implemented)
• Monthly salary of Anganwadi teachers to be increased to Rs 18,000, EPF coverage (Not implemented)
• ‘Bangaru Thalli’ scheme to provide financial assistance for every girl child born (Not implemented)
• Vidya Jyothulu scheme: Rs 10,000 financial assistance to SC/ST students on passing Class 10; Rs 15,000 for passing intermediate, Rs 25,000 for completing graduation and Rs 1 lakh for PG; MPhil and PhD: Rs 5 lakh each (Not implemented)