92 done. 8 days to go for 100-day deadline, as implemented ones half-baked or to be launched

HYDERABAD: The clock is ticking fast, and 92 days are over. Even if the Indiramma Indlu programme is launched on March 11, it will be just five more days short for Revanth Reddy’s target of 100 days to fulfill all the promises made under the Congress party’s flagship scheme of ‘Six Guarantees’. The 100-day deadline ends on March 16.

Of these, not all guarantees are one each. Every guarantee has more than one component.

Also Read: Rs.1.25 lakh cr needed for implementing 6 guarantees; govt gave just Rs.53,000 cr, says KTR

Mahalakshmi: one more item pending

For instance, Mahalakshmi scheme has free bus travel for women, gas cylinder for Rs. 500, and Rs. 2,500 a month assistance to women.

The first two components were implemented with the asterisk of conditions apply. Even if that is considered as implementation, somehow, the fate of the last part of Mahalakshmi hangs fire.

Also Read: Revanth Reddy launches Rs 500 gas cylinder, 200 units free power schemes

Gruha Jyothi

The Gruha Jyothi scheme under which 200 units of power would be given of free of cost to people with white ration card, an existing electricity connection and more importantly those who had clocked less than 200 units of consumption on an average in the last one year.

This scheme was brought into being. Again, with numerous riders. Still, let’s give it to the Congress.

Also Read: Telangana govt issues fine print of eligibility for Gruha Jyothy; Aadhar authentication must

Rythu bharosa staring

But, the lofty promise of the most important “Ryhthu Bharosa” scheme that consists of input assistance of Rs. 15,000 per acre per farmer (asset owner); Rs. 15,000 per acre per tenant farmer and Rs. 12,000 aid to every farm labourers. It also has another interesting component of Rs. 500 bonus per year for paddy crop.

The modalities on the implementation of the entire gamut of ingredients embedded in the scheme have yet to be worked out.

As it is, the government is implementing the BRS Government’s “Rythu Bandhu” scheme. Even that was distributed, according to the Chief Minister as of Thursday, to farmers having a landholding to an extent of five acres. The “Ryhthu Bandhu” scheme did not prescribe and upper limit for landholding. So, it’s for the Congress Government to decide in how much more time, the distribution of “Rythu Bandhu” assistance would be completed.

Also Read: Not all to get Rythu Bandhu, Lok Sabha polls referendum to govt: Revanth Reddy

The inordinate delay caused in its distribution has already ignited discontent among the farming community and they are seething with anger.

As it appears, the “Rythu Bharosa” is not likely to be implemented anytime soon. For, Revanth Reddy had said umpteen times that the eligibility criteria for the scheme needed to be tweaked and the number of eligible beneficiaries would have to be pruned. He had also asserted that it would be discussed in the Assembly and the views of the Opposition would also be considered before finalising the same.

There is no possibility of conducting the Assembly sessions being conducted any time soon. The vote-on-account budget was discussed last month and the sessions were adjourned sine die.

The model code of conduct (MCC) for the Lok Sabha elections is expected to come into effect soon. Grapevine has it that notification for the general elections would be announced around March 13.

Once the MCC comes into effect, no new scheme can be launched.

Indiramma Indlu, not fully

The Government is planning to launch Indiramma Indlu scheme on March 11. The scheme is devised to provide 250 sq yd land to those who fought for Telangana in the agitation; a house site and Rs 5 lakh assistance for building a house to every beneficiary.

To begin with, the Government has decided to first give it to those who already possess a house site – either of their own or inherited or given by the government – and the eligibilities are broadly worked out. The fine print with the riders and conditions would be out very soon. Minister for Housing Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said that the scheme would be launched on March 11.

Also Read: Revanth Reddy to launch Indiramma housing scheme on March 11; 3,500 houses in each constituency

Those who need to be given house site and also assistance, would come next.

For that, the Government would buy time citing the Lok Sabha elections as the land availability and process of acquisition in case of need would take time. Even the Rs. 5 lakh to those who have a house site would be given in four spells – Rs 1 lakh each for basement, lintel-level (up to roof), and Rs 2 lakh after completion of roof, and the remaining Rs 1 lakh after the completion of the structure.

The rules on how to identify the fighters in Telangana agitation have not been worked out. So, how, when and where would the 250 sq yd sites would be given has yet to be known.

*Fate of dignity housing hangs fire *

Meanwhile, the Congress Government doesn’t seem to have made any decision on the Double bedroom dignity houses built by the KCR Government. Ballpark estimates, according to sources, the number of double bedroom houses proposed by the BRS Government were 2,92,938 outside Hyderabad.

Those completed and allotted as of October 2023 were 96,570.

The number of double bedroom houses proposed in GHMC area were 1 lakh. The BRS Government gave 61,8884 to beneficiaries. Though 28,012 were allotted to beneficiaries, the same could not be handed over to them as MCC came into force before Assembly elections.

Also, many houses were still at various stages of construction elsewhere. What view would the state government take on the fate of these constructed but not allotted houses and also those allotted but not handed over.

So, on March 11, the government will claim that it has launched the Indiramma indlu scheme and say one more guarantee fulfilled.

Yuva Vikasam non-starter

But, another guarantee that the government has yet to implement is “Yuva Vikasam” which will surely not see the light of the day befoe the 100-day deadline for himself by Revanth Reddy. This has two components: Vidya Bharosa card worth Rs 5 lakh to students (of what age group, what course a student must be pursuing, and other eligibility criteria have not been finalised yet.

Also, there is no Education Minister in Telangana as yet. The Chief Minister is taking care of the department.

Another component is setting up international schools in every mandal. How long will this take is a million-dollar question.

Cheyutha half-baked

Under “Cheyutha” scheme, the government has implemented one component of hiking the limit for medical assistance under Rajiv Arogya Sri from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

The other component is giving Rs. 4,000 monthly pensions to all the eligible. In the guise of the future implementation of this, the government has stopped the Rs 2,500 Asara pension being given by the KCR regime.