Promises kept, to keep (BRS Manifesto, KCR Realistic Approach and Credibility) : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 Promises kept, to keep

(BRS Manifesto, KCR Realistic Approach and Credibility)

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Telangana Today (19-11-2023)

{BRS Manifesto once again showcases the realistic approach adopted by KCR making it trustworthy. More than 95% of the promises made by the TRS (now BRS) in 2014 and 2018 election manifestoes have been implemented-Observation of Editor}

Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) President and Chief Minister Telangana K Chandrashekhar Rao on October 15, 2023 released his party Manifesto for the forthcoming Assembly Elections. Compared to manifestoes comprising Unrealistic Schemes of some parties, BRS manifesto is a two-page ‘Unambiguous Message’ with genuine promises, reflecting KCR ‘Unique Style of Statesman like Leadership Approach’ to Good Governance. When KCR, explained the ‘Imperatives, Implications, and Implementation Strategy’ of every promise, it exhibited his trustworthiness. Everyone who heard him, recalled KCR’s Nine and Half Years’ Good Governance, establishing an unparalleled and irrevocable credibility.

Chief Minister announced that, all ongoing schemes, shall be continued in the third term of BRS Government, indicating BRS success in the elections and would be voted to power with a big margin. The ‘KCR Bhima’ a Life Insurance Scheme providing coverage of Rs 5 lakh for every ration card holder, benefiting 93 lakh families in Telangana, for which State Government will pay the entire premium on the lines of Rythu Bima, and ‘Telangana Annapurna Scheme’ to supply fine rice to every ration card holder, perhaps may be listed on top of BRS Manifesto.

Well-Designed

Financial Assistance Amount to farmers under ‘Rythu Bandhu’ scheme, which is acclaimed as the first of its kind in the country and world, will be enhanced from Rs 10,000 per acre to Rs 16,000 per acre for two crops in a year. Announcing this KCR said that, the enhancement will be done with a realistic approach. It will be increased to Rs 12,000 in next financial year, and thereafter, the increase will be in a phased manner every year gradually to reach the promised sum of Rs 16,000. Aasara Pensions, from Rs 2,016 to Rs 5,016 and Pensions for Differently Abled Persons will be enhanced from Rs 4,016 to Rs 6,016, will be enhanced in a yearly phased manner. This is a well-designed, quantifiable and attainable approach to a promise,

The other Specific promises in the manifesto of BRS include, supply of LPG cylinders at a subsidized price of Rs 400 to all eligible poor women and accredited journalists, monthly honorarium of Rs.3,000 under the ‘Soubhagya Lakshmi’ scheme, increase in the coverage limit from Rs 10 lakhs to Rs 15 Lakhs under Aarogya Sri Healthcare renamed as ‘KCR Aarogya Raksha’, providing comprehensive health coverage for journalists on the same lines, continuing ‘Housing for All’ program and also construction of one lakh more double-bedroom houses in Hyderabad.

In addition, establishing 119 Gurukul or Residential Schools for economically backward students from upper castes, upgrading all existing minority welfare residential junior colleges to residential degree colleges, special attention to welfare of orphans treating them as ‘Children of the State’, exploring possibilities of lifting restrictions on assigned lands pertaining to Dalits and provide complete rights to the land owners, appointing a committee to study the feasibility of transitioning from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) to the Old Person Scheme (OPS) for government employees form part of manifesto. 

In Tune with the Best

The promises that are made in the manifesto are absolutely in tune with the Best of Economic, Power, Drinking Water, Irrigation, Agriculture, Dalit, Overall Welfare, Education, Health, Industrial, Housing etc. Policies of the BRS Government for the past nine and half years, benefiting lakhs of families. More than 95% of promises made by TRS (Now BRS), in 2014 and 2018 Election Manifestos, were implemented after voted to power. In addition, a total of 76 Schemes like Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bhima, 24X7 uninterrupted power supply for agriculture, Mission Bhagiratha, Kalyana Lakshmi, Shaadi Mubarak, KCR Kits, Kanti-Velugu etc. which were not part of Manifesto, were also implemented.

The 2014 promises broadly covered, Irrigation, Power, Agriculture, Education, Health Care and Hospital Management Sectors, Housing for Poor, Pensions for poor, Welfare of SC, ST, BC, Women and Children, Minorities, Differently Abled, Employees, RTC workers, Journalists, Lawyers, Singareni Employees, Industrial Development, Rural and Urban Development, Environmnet Protection, Promoting State Festivals, Administrative Reforms etc. All of these were implemented. The 2018 Manifesto promises broadly covered, enhancement of Aasara Pensions and pensions to differently abled persons, reduction of age eligibility for old-age pensions, enhancement of investment support for agriculture or Rythu Bandhu, loan waiver to farmers, raising retirement age for government employees etc. These too were implemented.

The Welfare program of the Telangana Government aims to improve quality of life and living standards of poor and underprivileged. People are able to stand on their own feet with an assured regular and prosperous income. In a welfare state, Government is responsible for the individual and social welfare of its citizens. A fundamental feature of Telangana Welfare is Social Insurance and Social Security. It may sound a bit philosophical, but the schemes conceived and implemented in Telangana takes care of every stage of a human being’s life, from ‘Cradle to Grave.’  KCR truly believes in ‘Promise Less and Deliver More.’ Credibility has been consistently established by CM KCR. Voters had faith in him and trusted him and going by the manifesto, the same trust will be featured in next elections.

Other Parties

Contrary to this, voters distrusting a political party despite their tall promises and not electing it to power is not an uncommon phenomenon. For instance, in 2018 elections Congress Party announced to waive agriculture loans to a tune of Rs 2 lakhs and to pay unemployment allowance of Rs 3500 per month, which promise hardly had any credibility and hence had no impact.

The six guarantees of Congress Party, namely Rs 2,500 per month, free travel and LPG gas cylinder at Rs 500 for women (Mahalakshmi Scheme); Rs 15,000 for farmers and tenant farmers, and Rs 12,000 to farm labourers per year, and Rs 500 bonus for paddy crop (Rythu Bharosa Scheme); Rs 5 lakh for construction of house for houseless poor and 250 square yards land for all activists of Telangana movement (Indiramma Housing Scheme); Rs 5 lakh Vidya Bharosa card for students and Telangana International School in every Mandal (Yuva Vikasam  Scheme); 200 units free electricity to poor household (Gruha Jyothi Scheme); and Rs 4,000 monthly pension to elderly and Rs 10 lakh Rajiv Arogyasri Insurance (Cheyutha Scheme); too appears to lack Credible Validation and execution process.

Issuing manifestos is an accepted practice. But, a political party loses credibility if its manifesto depicts copious, unfeasible, and unethical promises with the sole purpose of misleading the voter eying power. The Election Commission of India’s Guidelines are also clear. It says that, ‘In the interest of transparency, level playing field and credibility of promises, it is expected that manifestos reflect rationale for promises and broadly indicate ways and means to meet the financial requirements for it. The trust of voters should be sought only on those promises which are possible to be fulfilled.’

Promises in Poll Manifestoes shall be necessarily SMART, meaning, Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound. This is exactly, what Chandrashekhar Rao did while releasing the BRS Manifesto making explicitly clear the implementation process of every promise and the way forward of year wise phasing out, wherever necessary, keeping in view, the likely burden on the treasury, if the enhancement is done at a single go. Yes, This is the Realistic Approach of KCR and towards establishing unmatchable credibility!!!  

(The writer is Chief Public Relations Officer to the Chief Minister of Telangana)