Nearly a year ahead of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections, the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Sunday, May 28, announced several welfare schemes. TDP president and former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu announced that if voted to power, TDP will provide financial assistance of Rs 20,000 each to farmers every year, under a scheme named Annadatha'. Addressing a public meeting to mark the culmination of TDP Mahanadu or the annual conclave of the party in Rajamahendravaram, Naidu unveiled the first part of the party's two-part poll manifesto titled 'Bhavishathku guarantee' (Guarantee for future). He said the second part would be released by Dasara, and sought feedback on the manifesto.
He promised monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 each to women aged 18 to 59 years under ‘Adabidda Nidhi’ (woman’s fund). The TDP chief promised Rs 15,000 annually for every mother under the proposed scheme 'Thalliki Vandanam'. Under the 'Deepam' scheme, each household will get three free gas cylinders every year, he said. Like the Congress in Karnataka, the TDP promised free travel for women in state-owned APSRTC buses.
Under 'Yuvashakthi', the TDP promised 20 lakh jobs in five years. Every educated unemployed person will be paid a monthly allowance of Rs 3,000, Naidu said. The opposition party also promised free drinking water to every household. If voted to power, the TDP will bring legislation to provide protection to the backward classes, Naidu said. The TDP chief promised to double the income of poor people. Welcoming the withdrawal of Rs 2,000 currency notes, Naidu also demanded the withdrawal of Rs 500 notes.