Ashok Gehlot gearing up for ‘Mission-156’

NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is tirelessly working to retain power in the state in the upcoming Assembly polls. For this, he is banking on his welfare schemes. The Congress party organisation in the state is reaching out to the people with the schemes of the Gehlot government.
At the same time, the CM is making all efforts to ensure that benefits of the schemes reach the common people in Rajasthan. While the budget announcements of the last year were big electoral issues countrywide, this time round Gehlot is making a strong pitch for the enactment of a social security legislation by the BJP government at the Centre, to provide a safety net to the poor, destitute, underprivileged and elderly people across the country. He has also called for a national debate on this issue with a right-based approach.
Gehlot says that the Central government should enact a law for the social security of people. The CM is of the view that every single individual in India must get social security like in many countries of the world. Governments in various countries provide financial help to their citizens for weekly expenses. The government should, therefore, own the responsibility of looking after the common people. The citizens should be given financial help so that they could take care of themselves in old age. Gehlot’s idea of the social security act may have tremendous far-reaching political and electoral implications. Gehlot’s move may pave the way for his return to power.
Undoubtedly, daily-wage labourers face the survival crisis once they become old. With the problems of financially unprotected class in mind, Gehlot wants the central government to pass a law to fix a respectable amount for such needy individuals.
States already help people with various schemes, but in terms of social security, the Central government should fix an amount for the needy. Gehlot wants to create pressure on the centre to implement this scheme on social security. This may benefit Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Gehlot is also planning to announce several schemes in the upcoming budget that could stand Congress in good stead.
In the last budget, Gehlot’s Chiranjeevi Yojana was quite popular. It was much talked about in the other states as well. Under this scheme, anyone can get free treatment up to Rs 10 lakh in any hospital. Similarly, lakhs of youth have got jobs under the Urban Employment Guarantee. Indira Rasoi Yojana under which meals are served at the payment of just Rs 8 is also quite popular. Eight schemes are being run under the Social Security Pension Yojana. These schemes include Old Age Pension, widow pension, destitute pension, old age farmers’ pension, etc.
CM Gehlot’s decision to revive the Old Pension Scheme is the biggest issue in several states. The OPS played an important role in Congress’ victory in Himachal Pradesh polls. The Gehlot government would provide gas cylinders for Rs 500 each from April. Gehlot will present the budget of the Rajasthan government on 10 February. Sources say that the CM may announce several people-friendly schemes which may pose a challenge to the Modi government. The Central government is already under pressure due to OPS. Gehlot is also in favour of the right to health bill. But the BJP is opposing it. Gehlot says that the BJP may be opposing it to please the private sector. But we will work for the poor and common man, he said. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is in fact working on the mission to win 156 seats in Rajasthan.
And these schemes may help him immensely in the mission. It is a fact that welfare schemes were also instrumental in the return of the NDA government in 2019 at the Centre. These schemes were Ujjawala, toilets, housing, power, water, etc. The BJP had scored electoral success in rural areas due to these schemes. If the entire Congress works hard to popularise the schemes that CM Gehlot has implemented, the grand old party can perform well in other states too. The central leadership needs to control those who are working against the government in Rajasthan.