Promises colour TV sets in Andhra.
Like the DMK did during the last Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh has promised to provide colour television sets to every poor household in the state if it is elected to power in the ensuing polls to the Legislative Assembly. The cost of power consumed by the TV sets will also be borne by the government.
According to TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, who has been a poster boy of reforms during his stint as the chief minister of the state, TV sets will not only help the poor, particularly those living in the rural areas, know about what is happening in the world but also enable them to relax for a while after a hard day's labour. The party intends to abolish entertainment tax, which will benefit cable TV operators.
The draft manifesto of the TDP also envisages an innovative cash transfer scheme (CTS) involving a monthly payment of Rs 2,000 for the poorest of the poor, Rs 1,500 for the poor and Rs 1,000 for middleclass households. The CST is stated be a family-centric scheme intended to socially and economically empower the family as a whole.
“The amounts will be directly transferred on a monthly basis through electronic transfer to the bank account in nationalised banks to be opened in the name of a female member in each beneficiary family who will be given electronic cash cards,” Naidu told mediapersons here on Thursday, adding that the beneficiaries can withdraw the money at any of the local banks or authorised commercial outlets.
Naidu said the TDP had studied various international models and practices while formulating the scheme. The poll promises of TDP include provision of free medical care to the poor, free power supply to farmers, free rice to the white ration card holders up to a quantum of Rs 25 kg per month besides oldage and widow pensions.
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During his 117-day 'Meekosam Yatra' (for your sake tour) in the state last year, Naidu made about 200 promises. Basing on these promises, the party reportedly estimated that every poor family in the state would get a monthly benefit of around Rs 2,500.
Incidentally, in the last Assembly polls in 2004, Naidu generally subscribed to the view that “there will be no free lunches.” Now the Congress is calling him “all-free Babu.”