BJP-led Assam govt launches cash transfer scheme 'Orunodoi' ahead of assembly elections

Ahead of Assembly elections slated in April-May next year, the BJP-led Assam government on Tuesday launched a cash transfer scheme under which 22 lakh families would get Rs 830 per month in their bank accounts.

Although the scheme was announced in the state budget for 2020-21, the time of launching the project led many to suspect that BJP was trying to woo voters with cash benefits in view of the anger it drew over the CAA and NRC.

Launching the scheme named 'Orunodoi', Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said over 17 lakh families in 29 of the 33 districts would get the money this month and the number would go up to 22 lakh after the next month's elections for the Bodoland Territorial Council.

The money would be transferred to the bank accounts of the women members of the family. "This scheme will not only help the economically weaker sections take care of their nutritional needs but will also lead to women empowerment. Since the money will be transferred to the bank accounts of the women, her importance in the family will increase," Sonowal said.

The state government would require Rs 200 crore every month for the scheme, to be effective from November. Finance Minister and BJP's strategist in the northeast Himanta Biswa Sarma said this was the biggest direct benefit transfer scheme. He said widows, unmarried women, divorcees, divyang (physically challenged) persons would get preference under the scheme. "No government has taken up such a massive scheme in Assam so far. This is going to benefit economically weaker sections belonging to all communities," he said.

The political motive was evident from Sarma's announcement on Monday that beneficiaries have been selected based on the number of voters in each constituency. The constituency with 1.5 lakh to two lakh voters will have 16,000 beneficiaries while 19,000 beneficiaries have been selected from a constituency with three lakh and above voters," he said.

A Congress leader called it the BJP's efforts to use public money for votes. "Since the indigenous Assamese people of the state are angry with the BJP over the CAA and its failure to solve the foreigners' issue, the party is trying to woo the voters with money. If that was not the case, why are they launching it just before the elections even as it was announced in the budget at the beginning of the year?" he said.