Congress govt in Telangana launches two poll 'guarantees'

The Telangana government on Tuesday launched two poll 'guarantees' of the ruling Congress - supply of LPG cylinders for Rs 500 and free power supply up to 200 units to the poor.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and his cabinet colleagues launched the scheme at the state secretariat here.

The subsidised LPG cylinder scheme and the electricity supply scheme are titled 'Mahalaxmi' and 'Gruha Jyothi' respectively.

Speaking on the occasion, Revanth Reddy recalled that Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi had announced six poll 'guarantees' to the Telangana people in September last year.

He said the implementation of two schemes -- free travel for women in state-run RTC buses and Rajiv Arogya Sri (health scheme of Rs 10 lakh to the poor)-- was initiated within 48 hours of his government assuming office in December last year.

Though the government had planned to launch 'Mahalaxmi' and 'Gruha Jyoti' at a public meeting at Chevella near here in the presence of AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, it decided to start the schemes at the Secretariat as model code of conduct for a legislative council poll has come into force.

While the UPA government had implemented a programme providing a gas cylinder for Rs 400, the government led by PM Narendra Modi made the LPG cylinder price as high as almost Rs 1,200, Reddy said.

The previous BRS government in Telangana made no effort to provide relief to the common people despite the hike, but saw the rise in cylinder price as a source of revenue to the government through GST, he added.

Revanth Reddy said his government is committed to the implementation of the six poll 'guarantees' by following a control on finances and avoiding unnecessary expenditure in view of the debt burden caused by the previous BRS government.

In a veiled attack on BRS, he said people are not ready to believe the false information being spread on the Congress government's welfare schemes by 'father and son'.

He further said a word given by Sonia Gandhi is like an ''inscription on a stone'' and that his government would implement it in such a way the promise is written in golden letters in history.

He also said his government would implement welfare schemes in a way that Telangana becomes a model to others in the country, he said.

On the mode of payment under the 'Mahalaxmi' scheme, a Government Order (GO) said the state Government will transfer the required amount in advance to the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) on a monthly basis.

The OMCs will transfer the subsidy amount by Direct Beneficiary Transfer (DBT) to the beneficiaries, it said.

''This method of release of subsidy is on pilot basis. The departments of Civil Supplies and Finance shall explore and come up with a model for delivery of a cylinder on payment of Rs.500 only,'' the GO said.