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In India, elections have always been about “welfare schemes”, which have ranged from loan waivers to subsidised food or foodgrains, free power, TV sets, and many more. The just-concluded polls in five states were no different as parties desperately vied to woo voters, especially the poor.
While there was no dearth of sops and promises, the themes across manifestos focused on health insurance, women voters and the humble farmer, grappling with stagnant yields and income levels and refusing to move beyond wheat and paddy, being offered top-up over the procurement price.
If Ayushman Bharat, one of the flagship schemes of the Modi government, was the starting point, offering a Rs 5-lakh health cover to the poor, political parties are now offering top ups of as much as Rs 50 lakh as they seek to address one of the key governance gaps – lack of reliable and affordable healthcare. Ahead of next year’s general elections, the Modi government has also unveiled the ‘Ayushman Bhav’ campaign to reach out to those who are yet to register for Ayushman Bharat.
While health activists and experts frown at health insurance being the preferred tool of politicians and see it as a short-cut to offering quality healthcare to everyone, something that states in the South such as Tamil Nadu have seen delivered more effectively than their counterparts in the North. From a voter point of view and that of the government, the poor will at least get some insurance, even in private healthcare facilities, instead of being left completely unattended at overflowing civil hospitals.
The focus on cooking gas goes beyond a basic necessity like health benefit to seeking to improve the quality of life, especially for women seeking convenience and smoke-free kitchen. While the push for LPG started with PM Ujjwala, a scheme offering free cooking gas connections, it has now moved to each party seeking to outdo each other on how much subsidy they are going to offer. If Congress was assuring cylinders for Rs 500 each, BJP sought promised it at Rs 450.
The mega push for cooking gas – which has seen the Centre reduce prices by Rs 200 and offer an additional subsidy of Rs 100 – has resulted in higher demand, with the petroleum ministry expecting a further increase once the benefits from the states also kicks in.
The focus is clearly on women voters who are at the centre of recent welfare initiatives including doles – be it Laadli Behna in Madhya Pradesh or the Rs 2,500 promised by Congress in Telangana. In several states, women voters now outnumber men and are the new target group that all politicians are courting, just as farmers.
Given the dependence on agriculture and income levels remaining largely stagnant as farmers remain focused on government procurement, BJP and Congress also tried to match each other in offering higher price for the produce, be it in Chattisgarh or Madhya Pradesh.
While there was no dearth of sops and promises, the themes across manifestos focused on health insurance, women voters and the humble farmer, grappling with stagnant yields and income levels and refusing to move beyond wheat and paddy, being offered top-up over the procurement price.
If Ayushman Bharat, one of the flagship schemes of the Modi government, was the starting point, offering a Rs 5-lakh health cover to the poor, political parties are now offering top ups of as much as Rs 50 lakh as they seek to address one of the key governance gaps – lack of reliable and affordable healthcare. Ahead of next year’s general elections, the Modi government has also unveiled the ‘Ayushman Bhav’ campaign to reach out to those who are yet to register for Ayushman Bharat.
While health activists and experts frown at health insurance being the preferred tool of politicians and see it as a short-cut to offering quality healthcare to everyone, something that states in the South such as Tamil Nadu have seen delivered more effectively than their counterparts in the North. From a voter point of view and that of the government, the poor will at least get some insurance, even in private healthcare facilities, instead of being left completely unattended at overflowing civil hospitals.
The focus on cooking gas goes beyond a basic necessity like health benefit to seeking to improve the quality of life, especially for women seeking convenience and smoke-free kitchen. While the push for LPG started with PM Ujjwala, a scheme offering free cooking gas connections, it has now moved to each party seeking to outdo each other on how much subsidy they are going to offer. If Congress was assuring cylinders for Rs 500 each, BJP sought promised it at Rs 450.
The mega push for cooking gas – which has seen the Centre reduce prices by Rs 200 and offer an additional subsidy of Rs 100 – has resulted in higher demand, with the petroleum ministry expecting a further increase once the benefits from the states also kicks in.
The focus is clearly on women voters who are at the centre of recent welfare initiatives including doles – be it Laadli Behna in Madhya Pradesh or the Rs 2,500 promised by Congress in Telangana. In several states, women voters now outnumber men and are the new target group that all politicians are courting, just as farmers.
Given the dependence on agriculture and income levels remaining largely stagnant as farmers remain focused on government procurement, BJP and Congress also tried to match each other in offering higher price for the produce, be it in Chattisgarh or Madhya Pradesh.
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