TRS promises Rs 3,016 dole

​Hyderabad: Caretaker Chief Minister and TRS president K Chandrashekar Rao on Tuesday said that his government would provide loan waiver to the tune of Rs 1 lakh for farmers, double social security pension money and provide unemployment allowances of Rs 3,016 per month after coming to power in the state for the second time.

Addressing a news conference at Telangana Bhavan, after presiding over the meeting of Party’s Manifesto Committee, Chandrashekar Rao said that he was making the announcements since the TRS candidates in the election fray had to have ready answers if the people ask them what the TRS intended to do for them if they vote it back to power.

The Chief Minister said that as per the decision taken by the committee, it was decided to extend the loan waiver of Rs 1 lakh to the famers. This time the loan money would be settled without causing inconvenience to the farmers. He said that about 42 lakh farmers had taken loans.

The Chief Minister announced that the financial assistance under the Rythu Bandhu scheme would also be increased. He said that the government would give Rs 5,000 per acre and Rs 10,000 per year to the farmers under Rythu Bandhu. The government would also provide honorarium to the Rythu Samanvaya Samithi representatives. He said that the IKP Women Groups would be given the task of setting up of Food Processing Units.

The TRS chief said that the pension money would be doubled after his party is voted to power. He said that the pension would be increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,016 per month. Similarly, for the handicapped the pension would be increased from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,016. He said that the eligibility has also been modified and persons who attains the age of 57 would be eligible for getting pension. Earlier one had to attain the age of 65 to become eligible for the pension. 

Presently, 40 lakh people were getting pensions and after decreasing the age limit, there would be 8 lakh more beneficiaries. The Chief Minister announced allowances to unemployed youth in the state. The unemployed youth would be getting Rs 3,016 per month. He said that there would be no limit for the number of beneficiaries, but it would be implemented after studying the scheme, which is being implemented in a couple of states. He said that all these schemes would be implemented from next financial year.

Referring to housing scheme in Telangana, the Chief Minister said that several proposals had come from the people. There were some who want to construct houses in their own plots to whom money would be provided apart from continuing the construction of double bedroom houses. He said that there were many irregularities in construction of houses during the Congress and TDP regimes and gave the example of Manthani where 40 per cent more houses were constructed than the number of beneficiaries. He said that one house of TRS government is equal to seven houses of Congress governments Indiramma housing scheme. He said that the TRS government has target of 2.6 lakh houses per year.

The Chief Minister said that the government would form separate corporations for Reddys and Valamas by creating a corpus fund for the benefit of poor in the upper castes. For SCs and STs, there would be a special growth engine scheme with Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 crore and Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 crore. A committee under Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari has been formed to frame a scheme for SCs and STs.

The Chief Minister said the government would increase the salaries of sourcing and contract staff. Regarding IR, the chief minister said that the TRS was employee-friendly, but it cannot make announcement now. The Chief Minister said that by June 2021, the government would provide water to one crore acres in the state.

Stating that there was zero support from the Central government to Telangana, Rao said that the growth rate of Telangana was at a higher side. This year the growth was 19.73 per cent and added that if there is a favourable government at the Centre there may be further benefits to the state but did not say which government would be on friendly terms with the state.