News Brief
Rs 2,500 Per Month For Women, Gas Cylinders At Rs 500 And More: Sonia Gandhi Unveils Six 'Freebies' In Telangana
Nayan Dwivedi
Sep 18, 2023, 04:39 PM | Updated 04:43 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Ahead of the Telangana assembly elections, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has unveiled a set of 'six guarantees' for citizens of the state.
These assurances encompass a monthly stipend for women, affordable cooking gas cylinders, and complimentary travel for women on Telangana State Road Transport Corporation buses throughout the state.
Under the Mahalakshmi initiative, Telangana women will receive a monthly financial aid of Rs 2,500, and gas cylinders will be offered at a subsidised rate of Rs 500.
In the run-up to the elections, the Congress party made similar pledges to the people of Karnataka, but they later contended that there were insufficient funds for development after coming to power.
The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh is also grappling with financial constraints as they endeavour to honour their commitments.
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised such populist measures as "revadis" and ridiculed them as freebies. His critique extended not only to the Congress party but also to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has implemented analogous populist programmes such as free water and electricity in Delhi and Punjab.
Sonia asserted, "I, along with my colleagues, had the privilege of witnessing the birth of this great state, Telangana. Now, it is our responsibility to elevate the state to new heights... My dream is to see a Congress government in Telangana that will work for the betterment of all sections of society. Will you support us?"
Earlier on Sunday, In the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, the Congress party expressed disappointment with both the Narendra Modi government in Delhi and the K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) government in Hyderabad. They accused them of betraying the people of Telangana and criticized CM KCR and his family for establishing what they referred to as "family rule", governing the state reminiscent of the Nizams.
The Congress party underscored the imperative of rekindling the vision of a prosperous Telangana and fulfilling the people's aspirations. They called for a "Bangaaru" (golden) Telangana, where residents exercise control over their own future and have access to resources, water, and employment opportunities.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Nayan Dwivedi is Staff Writer at Swarajya.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.