JOIN USWill cash benefits score over identity politics in Assam polls?
DBT (direct benefit transfer) is the buzzword in Assembly elections this time in Assam.
With identity politics taking the centre stage in Assam politics since 2019, when the CAA came into being, the ruling BJP is taking to schemes under which cash is transferred to tea garden workers, who are deciding factors in at least 40 of the 126 Assembly seats. The BJP-led government also implemented a scheme named Arunodoi, under which Rs. 830 per month is being transferred to bank accounts of 22 lakh disadvantaged families across the state since November.
Congress, on the other hand, which initially focussed mostly on the CAA and jobs, announced that Rs. 2,000 would be transferred to bank accounts of economically weaker housewives, if the party comes back to power. Congress lost power to BJP and its allies in 2016.
Congress, this time has stitched a grand alliance with six other opposition parties including Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United Democratic Front and Bodoland People's Front, BJP's ally in 2016. BJP is in alliance with AGP and UPPL, new regional party in Bodoland.
Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), the party which came into being out of the anti-CAA agitation also announced that if it comes to power, it would disburse a stipend of Rs. 5,000 per month to all who have formal education but failed to get a job. "Rs. 830 per month, which BJP is giving is not sufficient. In fact, the amount should have been Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 8,300," AJP chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi recently said.
BJP had announced the Arunodoi scheme in the state budget 2020-21 but its implementation ahead of elections (November) led many to believe that the party was trying to woo voters with cash benefits. With the scheme already creating a positive response in favour of the ruling party, finance minister and senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma recently announced in public meetings that the goverment plans to increase the amount to Rs. 3,000 per month and efforts would be to include all families.
On February 6, union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman formally transferred cash of Rs. 3,000 to bank accounts of nearly 7.5 lakh tea garden workers. The state government had similarly transferred Rs. 2,500 twice to tea garden workers earlier.
Raijor Dal, a new anti-CAA party led by jailed activist, Akhil Gogoi, on the other hand, slammed such cash transfers and instead promised that it would provide employment to each family in order to make them self-reliant. The party promised land to the landless people, irrigation to all farmers, beside other assistance to help the farmers go for multi-cropping to increase their income," the party said in its Vision Document on Wednesday.
Assembly polls in Assam will be held in three phases on March 27, April 1 and April 6. Filing of nominations for the first phase ended on Tuesday