Telangana polls: BRS promises LPG cylinder at Rs 400, increased social security pensions in manifesto

The BRS manifesto also promises Rs 15 lakh health insurance cover to all eligible beneficiaries under the 'Arogya Sri' health scheme, increasing it from the present Rs five lakh.

BRS supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday released the party's manifesto for assembly polls slated for November 30.

With some of the announcements in the manifesto, KCR tried to outdo the Six Guarantees announced by Congress for the poll-bound.  

While releasing the manifesto at the party’s Telangana Bhavan, KCR said that the social security pensions under Aasara would be increased to Rs 5,000 in phases, gas cylinder for Rs 400, Rs 3,000 monthly living allowance to eligible women from BPL families. He also said that the Rythu Bandhu benefit will be increased to Rs 16,000 in phases.  

He also promised Rs 5 lakh insurance to around 93 lakh families. The insurance scheme will be implemented  through LIC. The limit under Arogyasri scheme will be increased  to Rs 15 lakhs, he said.

“Telangana government formulated the best policies after conducting a study of the conditions and problems faced at the time of the formation of the state.  The state budget outlay has been increased to Rs 3 lakh crores. GSDP increased two and a half times. The per capita income increased many fold. Equal priority is given to welfare and state development. All the policies which are being successfully implemented will continue as usual.  The benefits under various schemes will be enhanced,” said KCR.

He promised to enhance the social security pension to Rs 5,000 in five years. “BRS is confident of coming back to power. Now we are giving Rs 2,016. First year, pension will be increased by Rs 1,000 which will be Rs 3,016. BRS is making the promise of increasing the pension to Rs 5,000 in five years,” he said.

KCR also promised to appoint a committee to look into the demand of the government employees for the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

Interestingly, Congress as part of its six guarantees had promised Rs 2,500 for eligible poor women, LPG gas cylinders for Rs 500, Rs 15,000 to farmers and tenant farmers annually, monthly social security pension of Rs 4,000  and Rs 10 lakhs of Rajiv Arogyasri insurance.

“We will provide life insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh through LIC on the lines of Rythu Bhima to every poor household who possesses a white ration card. One hundred per cent premium will be paid by the government. By this scheme, we will contribute to the strengthening of the public sector LIC,” said KCR.

Currently, the Telangana government is providing Rs 10,000 crop investment assistance per acre annually under the Rythu Bandu scheme.

BRS promised to increase Rythu bandhu assistance to Rs 12,000 per acre annually in the first year when it comes back to power.

“We promise to gradually increase Rythu bandhu assistance in the next five years to a maximum of 16,000 rupees per acre. We will continue the Paddy procurement policy as usual,” he added.

The present limit of Arogyasri scheme  Rs 5 lakhs will  be increased to 15 lakhs once BRS comes back to power.