GUWAHATI: Assam Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has chalked out a blueprint to win the 2021 assembly elections by targeting more than 1.5 crore people in the state with various beneficiary schemes.
Sensing a tough battle from the opposition camp, the state BJP has already announced a slew of direct benefit schemes worth Rs 4,050 crores in midst of the COVID-19 induced economic hardship.
Out of 3.30 crore, total population of the state targeted population of 1.5 crore accounts for 50 percent of the size.
Notably, the BJP has realized that it will face tough opposition in central and lower Assam where the AIUDF-Congress combine will be on a stronger footing due to the minority votes.
In such a scenario, the saffron brigade has focused on strengthening the organizational capabilities in these areas to get maximum people enrolled in all these beneficiary schemes.
From October 2, the party will start the much-touted `Oruonodoi’ scheme which will target 17 lakh families across the state and which will influence nearly 65 lakh voters. The scheme will cost the state exchequer Rs 2,800 crores. A sum of Rs 830 will be deposited in the bank accounts of each beneficiary under the scheme on a monthly basis.
Under National Food Security Mission, 57 lakh people will be provided 5 kgs of rice free of cost. Earlier, Rs 1 was charged per kilo of rice which has now been made free.
In addition from April 2019, under Indira Miri Widow Pension Scheme, 1.43 lakh widows are entitled to Rs 300 per month, which is also another cash benefit scheme.
Another 14 lakh families are getting 30 units of free electricity every month. Moreover, 22,000 girls who have passed higher secondary examination with first division marks will be given a Scooty each; the cost of each Scooty is Rs 55,000.
The Sarbananda Sonowal government also announced that it will give 10,000 women Self Help Groups (SHG) Rs 25,000 each. 2 lakh youths will be also provided Rs 50,000 each under self-employment scheme. Moreover, 8 lakh tea garden workers in Assam will be given Rs. 3,000 each from November 15 this year. This will be provided under the Chah Bagichar Dhan Purashkar Mela Scheme (Cash Award Scheme Tea Garden Worker). The Assam government will be releasing a total of Rs. 250 crores.
On similar lines, various schemes like Old Age Pension, Artists’ Pension, various new announcements have been made making the ambit of schemes better.
More than 3.20 lakh BJP workers in the state have been specially trained for reaching out to people across the state will all these beneficiary schemes.
Before the assembly polls of 2014 also, the BJP, which was ruling at the Centre, had announced various cash incentive schemes.