After presenting multiple white papers on the dire state of economy in the state, the Congress government in Telangana has rolled out two more schemes, which were part of its six poll promises. Chief minister Revanth Reddy inaugurated the schemes — Rs-500 gas cylinder (under Mahalakshmi scheme) and free electricity up to 200 units (Gruha Jyothi scheme) — in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
The beneficiaries need to have white ration cards, an active gas connection in their name and must have applied for the government’s poll guarantees through the Praja Palana programme that was held between December 29 and January 6.
The government will have to spend approximately Rs 809.5 crore towards these two schemes.
MAHALAKSHMI GAS CYLINDER SCHEME
The consumer has to pay the full amount at the time of gas cylinder delivery. The Telangana government will provide an advance to Oil Manufacturing Companies (OMCs) on a monthly basis. These companies in turn will pay the differential amount to the consumer online through Direct Benefit Transfer. For example, if the cost of an LPG cylinder in Hyderabad is Rs 955, the consumer will get the differential amount of Rs 455 from the OMC.
Consumers who are availing subsidised cylinders under the Central government’s Ujjwala scheme will also be covered under this state government scheme. Therefore, they will get an additional subsidy of Rs 350. There are around 6 lakh Ujjwala gas connections in Telangana.
As there are approximately 90 lakh white ration card holders in the state, it is estimated that the Congress government has to spend Rs 409.5 crore per gas cylinder for the scheme.
The price of a cylinder varies from district to district due to transportation costs. The number of cylinders provided will be limited to the average used by one household in the past three years.
In the Praja Palana programme that concluded last month, 40 lakh beneficiaries have been identified. Currently, the scheme will be operational for these beneficiaries only. More beneficiaries will be identified gradually.
GRUHA JYOTHI SCHEME
Officials said that 1.05 crore households consume 200 units per month in Telangana. The government has to pay around Rs 4,000 crore to power distribution companies (discoms) per year to provide free electricity up to 200 units to these households, according to official estimates. Beneficiaries will start receiving zero electricity bill March onwards.
MONEY MATTERS
The Congress has inherited substantial debt from the previous government. In a white paper on power sector presented in the Assembly, deputy chief minister Mallu Vikramarka Bhatti had said that discoms have incurred losses to the tune of Rs 62,461 crore as on March 31, 2023 and had a debt burden of Rs 81,516 crore as on October 31.
In the budget, the government has allocated only Rs 2,418 crore for the Gruha Jyothi scheme. Overall, the state has earmarked Rs 53,196 crore towards the six poll guarantees.
TOO MANY RIDERS, SAYS OPPOSITION
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Dasoju Sravan criticised the government for introducing conditions which were not mentioned at the time of making these promises. He said ‘Praja Palana’ was conducted to delay the implementation of guarantees and cut down a majority of beneficiaries. “The Congress government did not disclose how many people applied during the Praja Palana programme to get gas cylinders for Rs 500. Further, there is no clarity on the pending applications for white ration cards. Despite suppressing these figures, the Congress government is preparing to implement the guarantee for only 40 lakh people out of 90 lakh eligible beneficiaries,” he added.
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