Rajasthan News: Congress Accuses Bhajanlal Government of Shutting Down and Renaming Welfare Schemes

Rajasthan News: The Congress party has accused the Bhajanlal government of systematically shutting down its welfare schemes and renaming them, even as the Lok Sabha elections approach. While the government had not yet terminated any major schemes, it has recently renamed four significant programs and discontinued a minor one.

Several benefits provided by various schemes have been reduced. There is also consideration of modifying the Old Pension Scheme. Notably, the Mahatma Gandhi Seva Prerak Recruitment 2023, which aimed to fill 50,000 positions, has been canceled.

Additionally, the government is preparing to terminate the Rajiv Gandhi Urban and Rural Olympic Games Scheme, the Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme, and the Indira Gandhi Smartphone Scheme.

Immediate Changes Upon Taking Power

Indira Rasoi Renamed to Shri Annapurna Yojana

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma took office on December 15, 2023. Within 20 days, by January 5, 2024, he announced the renaming of the Indira Rasoi scheme to Shri Annapurna Yojana.

Benefit Reduction: Along with the renaming, the government increased the quantity of food by 150 grams per meal. However, it reduced the number of meals a person can receive from two to one per serving.

Chiranjivi Health Insurance Becomes MAA

The Chiranjivi Health Insurance Scheme has been merged with the central government's Ayushman Bharat scheme, now called the Mukhyamantri Ayushman Arogya Yojana (MAA). This change has also seen a reduction in the scope of benefits.

Benefit Reduction: Previously, the Chiranjivi scheme provided free medical treatment up to Rs 25 lakhs. This has been reduced to Rs 5 lakhs, though CM Bhajanlal Sharma has stated that he plans to soon increase this limit to Rs 10 lakhs and eventually to Rs 25 lakhs.

The renaming and restructuring of these schemes have sparked controversy and criticism from the Congress party, which argues that these changes undermine the original intent and benefits of the programs. As the Lok Sabha elections draw near, these moves by the Bhajanlal government are likely to remain a significant point of contention.