With just 11 months left for the assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has come out with a seven-point “mini election manifesto” of his party to attract various sections of people.
In his concluding speech at the two-day Mahanadu, the party’s biennial conclave held at Rajahmundry on Sunday, Naidu announced his seven promises -- Maha Shakthi, Thalliki Vandanam, Yuvashakthi, Annadatha, access to drinking water, Act for backward classes (BC), and Vision 2047 – would change the destiny of the people of the state in the coming years.
Naming the manifesto as “Bhavishyathuku Guarantee” (Guarantee to a bright future), the TDP chief said it was first of the two-part manifesto. The second part of the manifesto would be released around Dasara festival in October, after obtaining the feedback on the first part, he said.
Under Maha Shakthi scheme, a monthly financial aid of ₹1,500 will be given to every woman in the 18-59 age group. “It is called Adabidda Nidhi (women’s fund), which aims at empowering women and make them financially strong,” Naidu said.
Under Thalliki Vandanam, an annual financial aid of ₹15,000 will be given to every mother without any pre-requisite conditions. “Women will be allowed to travel in state-run RTC buses free of cost. We are also promising three gas cylinders to each women homemakers free of cost,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Under Thalliki Vandanam, an annual financial aid of ₹15,000 will be given to every mother without any pre-requisite conditions. “Women will be allowed to travel in state-run RTC buses free of cost. We are also promising three gas cylinders to each women homemakers free of cost,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The TDP chief also promised to do away with the existing rule which didn’t allow people having more than two children to contest for the local body elections.
Under Yuvashakti, Naidu said his party, if voted to power, would create 25 lakh jobs by connecting them to the global economy. He also promised to pay a sum of ₹3,000 to each of the jobless youth per month as “Yuva Galam’’ fund.
Stating that it was the farmer who struggled hard even during the Coronavirus pandemic, Naidu said his government would also pay ₹20,000 to each farmer every year to meet the agriculture expenditure under Annadata scheme. He said a policy guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) would be introduced, and steps would be taken to prevent farmer suicides.
Assuring the people that safe drinking water will reach every door-step in the state, the former chief minister promised to bring in legislation for the safety and security of the BCs. “As many as 54 Special Empowered Committees have already been constituted by the TDP, and these committees will be consulted before enacting the Act,” he said.
Referring to the ‘Vision 2047’, Mr. Naidu said, “Every rich man will be asked to adopt one or two poor people. By 2047, India will emerge as a global power. By then, 35% of Telugu people will be in corporate governance and administration across the globe. Making the poor rich is possible with such achievements.”
Meanwhile, the ruling YSR Congress party described the TDP’s manifesto as bogus. “He is not able to tolerate distribution of a piece of land to the poor people in Amaravati. How can anybody expect him to implement welfare schemes?” the state social welfare minister Meruga Nagarjuna asked.
Nagarjuna further alleged that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government had fulfilled 98 percent of its pre-election promises. “Can Naidu dare say that he will implement all his promises? He seems to be of the view that the people will be carried away by his promises and will forget them later, so that he can dump the manifesto in the dustbin,” the minister added.