Political parties in Andhra Pradesh appear to have caught in the grip of election fever. With the speculation of early polls to the Lok Sabha gaining momentum by the day major parties are busy gearing themselves up for the battle royale.
Leadership of each party is deeply involved in the exercise of preparing election manifestoes with a long list of promises to win the hearts of the voters. Particularly the ruling Congress and the main Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) have already drawn their road map for the elections.
A day after the TDP has announced its plans to supply nine-hour free power to farm sector in the State and other welfare measures if elected to power in the next Assembly poll, the Congress came out with plans to revive the Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme.
The Telugu Desam on Thursday announced that it would supply nine-hour free power to farm sector if elected to power in the next polls. Besides, the party also promised distribution of surplus land to the poor.
On Friday, none other the Chief Minster, Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, asked the senior officials of the Finance Department to study the monetary burden on the exchequer if the most popular Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme is implemented in the State.
The scheme which played a major role in the landslide victory of Late N T Rama Rao that brought him to power in 1985, just 18 months of floating the Telugu Desam Party, was implemented in letter and spirit as the Late leader had promised to voters. The rice scheme later turned out to be his pet programme.
However, this was neutralised by his successor, Mr Nara Chandrababu Naidu, when he took up the reins from NTR in 1995. Mr Naidu increased the price from Rs 2 to Rs 3.50, which later was hiked to Rs 5.25 in his later term that ended in 2004.
Dr Reddy, who is aware of the impact the rice scheme had created during the late NTR tenure, is now keen on reviving it, which is now being implemented only for namesake. He has thus asked the Finance Department officials to weigh the pros and cons and also the burden involved in its effective implementation.
Those holding white ration card and also families that fall under the Anthyodaya scheme are entitled for the benefit of the Rs. 2-a-kg rice scheme. As per a rough estimate, over 1.3 crore families have white ration cards while about 50,000 families are covered under the Anthyodaya scheme.
The Government is already incurring an expenditure of Rs. 903 crore for supplying subsidised rice to these families at Rs. 5 a kg, if the Rs 2 a kg scheme is revived, the burden on the exchequer would increase mani-fold, to about Rs. 1913 crore. “Despite the heavy financial implications, the Chief Minister is keen on reviving it,” a senior official in the administration told Media India on Friday.
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which is spearheading the separate statehood demand, on Friday promised 12-hour free power supply to farmers if separate state is carved out for the region. Party president and former Union Labour minister, Mr K Chandrasekhara Rao, on Friday announced the party’s plan not only to supply 12-hour free power but also other people-friendly measures if separate Telangana is formed.
The Left parties, however, are till now banking on the ongoing “Bhoo Poratam” to strengthen their cadre base. The BJP, except dismissing the possibilities of the popular measures announced by other parties, has not formulated it poll strategies yet.
A day after the TDP has announced its plans to supply nine-hour free power to farm sector in the State and other welfare measures if elected to power in the next Assembly poll, the Congress came out with plans to revive the Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme.
The Telugu Desam on Thursday announced that it would supply nine-hour free power to farm sector if elected to power in the next polls. Besides, the party also promised distribution of surplus land to the poor.
On Friday, none other the Chief Minster, Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, asked the senior officials of the Finance Department to study the monetary burden on the exchequer if the most popular Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme is implemented in the State.
The scheme which played a major role in the landslide victory of Late N T Rama Rao that brought him to power in 1985, just 18 months of floating the Telugu Desam Party, was implemented in letter and spirit as the Late leader had promised to voters. The rice scheme later turned out to be his pet programme.
However, this was neutralised by his successor, Mr Nara Chandrababu Naidu, when he took up the reins from NTR in 1995. Mr Naidu increased the price from Rs 2 to Rs 3.50, which later was hiked to Rs 5.25 in his later term that ended in 2004.
Dr Reddy, who is aware of the impact the rice scheme had created during the late NTR tenure, is now keen on reviving it, which is now being implemented only for namesake. He has thus asked the Finance Department officials to weigh the pros and cons and also the burden involved in its effective implementation.
Those holding white ration card and also families that fall under the Anthyodaya scheme are entitled for the benefit of the Rs. 2-a-kg rice scheme. As per a rough estimate, over 1.3 crore families have white ration cards while about 50,000 families are covered under the Anthyodaya scheme.
The Government is already incurring an expenditure of Rs. 903 crore for supplying subsidised rice to these families at Rs. 5 a kg, if the Rs 2 a kg scheme is revived, the burden on the exchequer would increase mani-fold, to about Rs. 1913 crore. “Despite the heavy financial implications, the Chief Minister is keen on reviving it,” a senior official in the administration told Media India on Friday.
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which is spearheading the separate statehood demand, on Friday promised 12-hour free power supply to farmers if separate state is carved out for the region. Party president and former Union Labour minister, Mr K Chandrasekhara Rao, on Friday announced the party’s plan not only to supply 12-hour free power but also other people-friendly measures if separate Telangana is formed.
The Left parties, however, are till now banking on the ongoing “Bhoo Poratam” to strengthen their cadre base. The BJP, except dismissing the possibilities of the popular measures announced by other parties, has not formulated it poll strategies yet.
