K Chandrasekhar Rao rode to power on 450 welfare schemes tailor-made for all sections
Hyderabad: Apart from the Telangana sentiment, the welfare schemes implemented by the TRS government in the last four and half years have also played a key role to help the TRS retain power in the state.
In the previous elections, the TRS won only on the basis of the Telangana sentiment but, this time, it won because of its welfare schemes. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao introduced more than 450 welfare schemes for various sections of the society during his previous tenure. Among the schemes, the individual benefit schemes like Rythu Bandhu, Aasara pensions, Kalyan Laxmi, Shadi Mubarak and KCR Kits helped the TRS sweep the polls. The people appear to have given Mr Rao another chance to build Bangaru Telangana (Golden Telangana).
In 2014, the TRS won only 63 seats out of the total 119 in the Assembly and just crossed the magic figure to form government. In recent Assembly elections, the TRS achieved a landslide victory by winning 88 seats. For the individual benefit schemes, the TRS has assured in its election manifesto to increase the amount further.
In the last four-and-a-half years, the TRS government has spent about Rs 2 lakh crore on welfare schemes which helped TRS in getting 47 per cent vote share. There are multiple beneficiaries in several families for the various schemes.
According to the 2011 census, the total population of Telangana state is 3.52 crore whereas the total estimated beneficiaries of all age groups and different sections including farmers, households is 8,26,88,841.
This shows that the people were benefited multiple times in various schemes. As per government records there are 10,20,288 direct beneficiaries and 30,61,764 indirect beneficiaries in 28 schemes.
For these beneficiaries, the government has spent about Rs 3,681 crore. The number of beneficiaries of Arogyasri has crossed 90 lakh. According to the assurance given in the 2014 elections, for waiving of Rs 1 lakh farm loan to each farmer the government spent Rs 17,000 crore and in the election year the TRS government introduced the Rythu Bandhu scheme for farmer’s investment subsidy and spent more than Rs 10,000 crore.
The TRS government has also launched Rythu Bima which will provide Rs 5 lakh life insurance. In addition to this, the state government is supplying 24x7 free power to the farm sector. All these schemes have helped the TRS to get the votes of farmers in the state.
Mr Rao had a lot of confidence that his welfare schemes would help him win the Assembly elections. The election results proved that Mr Rao’s assessment was correct.
