Pro-poor schemes gain focus as five states approach assembly polls
NEW DELHI : National parties have lined up farm loan waivers, income support schemes and the old pension scheme as they look to seize or retain power in key Assembly elections. Five states—Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram— go to Assembly polls in November and December.
In Madhya Pradesh, the opposition Congress party has promised farm loan waivers, the old pension scheme, free electricity up to 100 units, ₹1,500 to every woman per month, and gas cylinders at ₹500. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled state government has launched a ‘Ladli Behena’ scheme offering monthly income support of ₹1,000 to women in the 23-60 age group.
Rajasthan’s ruling Congress government in July passed the Right to Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill, 2023, promising social security for citizens. The opposition BJP in August set up an election manifesto committee and election management committee.
Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan rank among the lowest in per capita income in India. In Telangana, which has one of the highest per capita incomes in the country, the opposition Congress has promised a scheme, Mahalakshmi, under which women will be guaranteed ₹2,500 per month, subsidized cooking gas cylinders at ₹500, and free bus travel in state transport buses.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to states to follow fiscal discipline so that there is no debt burden on future generations and not to mix politics with economics. Spokespersons of the BJP and Congress didn’t respond to queries.According to latest Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, per capita income, measured in terms of Per Capita Net State Domestic Product (NSDP), at current rates (base year 2011-12), for Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan stood at ₹140,583, and
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