 "Madhya Pradesh: Eye on polls, BJP, Congress woo voters with poll promises")
The upcoming Madhya Pradesh (MP) Assembly election is likely to take place in November this year. The current term, which began on January 7, 2019, will end on January 6, 2024. As the election approaches, political parties are out in force, making promises to woo voters in the state and secure more votes.
However, for the voters, choosing a party has become a challenging task due to the array of schemes and promises offered by both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC). These promises include employment opportunities, infrastructure improvements, better healthcare facilities, and educational reforms.
As both parties focus on tackling pressing concerns such as farmer distress, women's safety, and youth empowerment, here's a look at the poll promises made by each party ahead of the MP Assembly election.
Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2023: BJP's schemes and promises
The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has recently introduced the 'Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojna' with a budget of Rs 8,000 crore, which promises a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 to women. Furthermore, the chief minister stated that he intends to increase this amount to Rs 3,000.
The state government has also launched 'Mukhyamantri Seekho Kamao Yojna' with a provision of Rs 1,000 crore, under which students will get between Rs 8,000 and Rs 10,000 each month.
The chief minister further announced its decision to regularise all unauthorised housing colonies built until December 31, 2022.
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"We are running Mukyamantri Bhu-Aawaas Adhikaar Yojana in villages and giving free land to those who do not have land to build homes. In cities, we are making all those who have been occupants for years the owners by giving them pattas," Chouhan was quoted as saying by The Hindu.
"Those who have built homes by spending their lifetime's savings are being considered unauthorised. This decision of labelling them unauthorised is itself unauthorised and I am putting an end to it today," Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.
He added that once authorised, necessary funds would be made available for the development of these colonies, and the infrastructure would be developed.
Congress's poll promises in Madhya Pradesh
Preparing for the coming polls, the Congress, like in Karnataka, is focusing on hyperlocal issues, and farmers are central to its outreach. The grand old party has promised:
1. To slash the electricity rates by 50 per cent up to 200 units, while up to 100 units will be free of cost.
2. A monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 to women under Nari Samman Yojana.
3. To implement the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) along the lines of other Congress-ruled states, including Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.
4. To ensure the availability of gas cylinders at a subsidised price of Rs 500.
5. To waive off farmers' loans.
6. To provide 12 hours of electricity per day for irrigation.
7. Reducing the input cost of the farming process.
8. No electricity bill for using motor pumps up to five horsepower and the remaining electricity bill of farmers will also be waived off.
9. To take back all the cases imposed against farmers during the protests.
Madhya Pradesh's existing debt burden
While these electoral promises undoubtedly help supporters, they may be unaware of the impact on the state government's financial budget, particularly in light of the state's existing debt burden.
This year, the state government presented an annual budget of Rs 3.14 lakh crore. However, the government's mounting debt stood at Rs 3.31 lakh crore, a 12 per cent increase over the previous year, reported the Times of India (ToI).
These debt figures highlight the state's financial challenges and emphasise the significance of prudent fiscal management. In fact, when considering the debt figures, it becomes clear that every citizen of Madhya Pradesh carries a debt burden of around Rs 41,000.
According to Jagdish Dewda, Finance Minister of Madhya Pradesh, the state government borrows around Rs 76 crore as loan every day. From June 2022 to February 2023, they borrowed Rs 16,000 crore. Of this, Rs 4,000 crore each was borrowed in February 2023 and September 2022, making up half of the total loan in just these two months.
The interest rates on these loans vary between 7.46 per cent and 8.64 per cent. Most loans (Rs 2,000 crore) were taken on seven occasions, and Rs 1,000 crore was borrowed twice. The loans are due for repayment between 2032 and 2038, Dewda said.
Despite this, the Shivraj government has borrowed money 11 times between January to June this year, and they now owe a total of Rs 29,000 crore, he added.
Recently, the state has taken another loan of Rs 4,000 crore from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), taking their overall debt to Rs 29,000 crore. The government has plans to repay this loan over 11 years.