Hyderabad: The Chandrababu Naidu government in Andhra Pradesh has moved to implement two of its “Super Six” promises, having initiated one—free gas cylinders—in its first year after its return to power.
In the budget for FY 2025-26, the second of the TDP-JSP-BJP combine, funds have been allocated to the ‘Talliki Vandanam’ and ‘Annadata Sukhibhava’ schemes promised in the manifesto.
In his budget speech Friday, Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav announced an allocation of Rs 9,407 crore for ‘Talliki Vandanam’, under which underprivileged women will be provided with annual financial support of Rs 15,000 to send their children to school in the academic year 2025-26.
The scheme will cover children enrolled in Classes 1-12 in both government and private schools. The ‘Talliki Vandanam’ is a reenactment of the ‘Amma Vodi’ scheme of the previous YSRCP government. While ‘Amma Vodi’ applied to one child per family, the incumbent has promised to extend the scope of its scheme to include all eligible children in a household.
Presenting a white paper on Andhra Pradesh’s finances in the Assembly last July, CM Naidu said his administration inherited debt and liabilities to the tune of Rs 9.74 lakh crore, blaming former CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for his government’s inability to make good on promises.
In his budget speech Friday, Payyavula also allocated Rs 6,300 crore for the ‘Annadata Sukhibhava’ scheme under which eligible farmers will be entitled to annual financial assistance. “No matter what financial situation we are in, our farmers will receive Rs 20,000 annually,” he said.
సంక్షేమం, అభివృద్ది, సుపరిపాలన లక్ష్యంగా పనిచేస్తున్న మన ప్రభుత్వం…2025-2026 ఆర్ధిక సంవత్సరానికి ప్రవేశపెట్టిన బడ్జెట్ ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్ పునర్ నిర్మాణానికి పునాదిలా నిలుస్తుందని దృఢంగా నమ్ముతున్నాను. రాష్ట్ర గతిని, స్థితిని మార్చే సానుకూల, ప్రగతిశీల బడ్జెట్ను ప్రజల ముందు ఉంచాం.… pic.twitter.com/QZUf69axkI
— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) February 28, 2025
A similar scheme was implemented by the previous Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government with the name ‘YSR Rythu Bharosa’. Eligible land-owning farmers were provided with Rs 13,500 per annum, including Rs 6,000 from the central PM-KISAN scheme. The ‘Annadata Sukhibhava’ scheme is also proposed to be implemented with support from PM KISAN.
Though Jagan claimed his government was offering more financial assistance to farmers than any other state, the TDP-JSP-BJP combine in the run-up to the polls promised to hike it to Rs 20,000.
Besides a largely silent anti-incumbency wave, a host of populist schemes announced by Naidu and his ally Pawan Kalyan to upstage Jagan’s welfare programme aided the TDP chief’s return to power.
But YSRCP leaders have questioned the delay in delivery of several flagship or ‘Super Six’ promises made to the state’s 5.27 crore residents.
The ‘Super Six’ promises featured on the first page of Prajagalam–Ummadi (joint) manifesto 2024, along with pictures of Naidu and JSP chief and now deputy CM Pawan Kalyan. The poll promises were popularised along with the phrase: “Babu’s surety, good future guarantee.”
Among the ‘Super Six’ promises is 20 lakh jobs to educated, skilled youngsters or Rs 3,000 per month as unemployment allowance; annual financial support of Rs 15,000 for underprivileged women to help them educate their children; Rs 20,000 per annum as financial assistance for eligible farmers; besides Rs 1,500 per month to eligible women; three LPG cylinders each for eligible families per year; and free travel for women in Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) buses.
Of these, the Naidu-led government launched the Deepam 2.0 scheme (three gas cylinders free of cost) on the occasion of Deepawali last year.
Payyavula in his budget speech said the Naidu-led government fulfilled several important manifesto promises “in a short span of time”. These included hiking monthly NTR Bharosa Pensions to Rs 4,000; opening 204 Anna Canteens to provide food at subsidised rates; increasing honorarium for archakas, imams and mouzains; and initiating the process to recruit 16,247 teachers through district selection committees (DSCs).
“I am happy to announce the fulfilment of another manifesto promise to double the financial relief during the yearly fishing ban period from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 for fishermen,” said Payyavula.
Speaking to ThePrint earlier, minister Nara Lokesh had said YSRCP “took three years to implement their promises.” Adding, “We will implement all our promises—in a systematic manner. Let there be no doubt.”
Meanwhile, YSRCP leaders asked the Naidu-led government when it will implement the remaining three of the ‘Super Six’ promises, while terming the allocations made for the two schemes as inadequate.
“The TDP alliance gained power by deception, with grand ‘Super Six’ etc. promises. Where are the unemployment allowance and other promises like free bus ride for women from Ugadi? To provide ‘Talliki Vandanam’ for 81 lakh students in the state, Rs 12,000 crore is required while the allocation is only Rs 9,400 crore. We gave ‘Rythu Bharosa’ to 52 lakh farmers. To aid them with Rs 20,000 now, Rs 12,000 crore is needed,” said YSRCP leader Botcha Satyanarayana.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)