• Prof. P.R. Vyas

The Modi government at the centre and other BJP-ruled state governments have only extorted money from the people of the country at every level. On the contrary, the Congress-ruled states have always worked on the policy of providing relief to the public at all levels. Rajasthan government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot, has taken several policy decisions. He has also been organizing ‘Inflation Relief Camps’ in every district of the state. The number of registrations of people taking benefits from these schemes has been increasing continuously. After ‘Inflation Relief Camp’, the most prevalent scheme in the state is gas cylinder for Rs.500. A gas cylinder which used to cost Rs. 1150 is being given away by the Congress government for Rs. 500. Shri Ashok Gehlot had announced in this year’s budget to give cylinders to poor families for Rs.500. This decision of the Gehlot government will have a favourable effect on the monthly expenditure of every household.

Similarly, under the ‘Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana’, free treatment facility up to 25 lakhs has been provided by the state government to the citizens of the state. Starting from 5 lakhs, the Congress government has increased it to 25 lakhs. Under this scheme, more than 1 crore 14 lakh families of Rajasthan have been registered. Accidental insurance of up to Rs. 10 lakh is also being given to the registered families under this scheme.

To provide relief to the general public and farmers from the rising electricity prices, 100 units free electricity scheme for every household has been implemented. Similarly, 2000 units of free electricity is being given to farmers in Rajasthan.

The Congress government has already implemented the scheme of free ration to the poor. On the lines of MGNREGA in villages, cities have tried to provide relief to people by providing 125 days of employment under Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme. At the same time, more than 95 lakh people have registered themselves for free ration under the ‘Annapurna Food Packet Scheme’ so far, while 46 lakh people have registered themselves under the ‘Minimum Social Security Pension Scheme’ of Rs. 1,000 so far.

Similarly, in order to facilitate the movement of women, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has also announced 50 percent discount on the fare of all categories of roadways buses by the state government. Earlier, 30 per cent discount was being given in general category buses. Rural women used to get its benefits, but urban women could not reap much benefit out of the scheme. Now the Chief Minister has announced that women will be given 50 per cent concession in all classes of buses.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot is determined to secure the future of state government employees and under his leadership, the state government is implementing the old pension scheme. Shri Ashok Gehlot has repeatedly given statements regarding this scheme related to lakhs of employees of the state that if the Congress government is not repeated, the BJP will stop the OPS. BJP has no counter to these statements of Shri Ashok Gehlot. It is neither able to say that the OPS will be continued nor is it able to say that it will be closed after coming to the government. On the lines of Rajasthan, the Congress government has also implemented OPS in Chhattisgarh. And even in Madhya Pradesh, Shri Kamal Nath has also promised that if the Congress government comes to power, the old pension scheme will be implemented in the state.

On the basis of the budget announcement, the Rajasthan government has given instructions to implement the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for retired and serving employees of government undertakings, autonomous bodies and other institutions including universities, on the lines of government employees. Under this, the Finance Department has issued guidelines regarding the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme in the undertakings where CPF and EPF are applicable.

Serving and retired employees of Municipal Corporations, UITs, power companies, corporations, boards, government undertakings and universities will benefit from this facility. Retired employees will also get the benefit of OPS. According to the orders issued by the Finance Department, a pension fund will be formed by making new rules to implement the GPF Link Pension Scheme in those institutions which do not get the benefit of the Old Pension Scheme. These institutions will have to deposit the pension fund amount in the PD account of the state government.

All OPD and IPD services will be provided completely free of cost to all the people of the state coming to all categories of government medical institutions of the state. With the launch of the scheme, sure arrangements are being made to the Medical College Hospital, District Hospital, CHC, PHC and Sub-Health Centres so that medicines, health check-ups and operation facilities can be available to the people of the state completely free of cost. Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. Tejram Meena said that under the Chief Minister’s Free Nirogi Rajasthan Scheme, all the facilities of the Chief Minister’s Free Medicine and Test Scheme will be included and all the services will be provided completely free of cost on the basis of identity card like Jan Aadhar Card or Aadhar Card etc. Under the ‘Sanjeevani Tele Consultation National Health Mission’, the facility of National Tele Consultation Network was started on 04-05-2020 by the Medical and Health Department of Rajasthan, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. With this scheme, sick people of the state can get free online doctor’s services from the safety of their home. This facility is being provided by 100 identified medical institutions in Rajasthan.

Under the Chief Minister Free Medicine Scheme, the most commonly used essential medicines will be provided free of cost to the citizens of the state. In the Budget announcement 20112012 of the Government of Rajasthan, the formation of Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation is mentioned. Through this corporation, a centralized system will be implemented for the purchase of essential medicines, surgical and diagnostic equipment for all the medical institutions of the state. The most commonly used essential medicines are being provided free of cost to all the patients coming to the government hospital since October 2, 2011. Apart from this, free medical facilities are also being provided to the patients of Thalassemia and Haemophilia in government hospitals. The process of continuous improvement in the health of the common people is going on by the state government by strengthening the Chief Minister Free Medicine Scheme and Free Testing Scheme. The benefits of this scheme are being made available to all the people of the state and no person in the state is deprived of medical facilities due to lack of medicines.

There was a huge crisis looming over not only on the economy but also on the livelihood of the common people due to Corona. During this period, the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA scheme launched by the UPA government provided support to the people living in rural areas to overcome the crisis, whereas there is no such scheme in urban areas. Therefore, to provide economic support to the families in the urban areas of the state, especially the economically weak, helpless and unemployed families, Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme is being launched on the lines of MGNREGA, as per the budget announcement, to ensure employment in the cities.

This scheme will also help the families living in the urban areas to earn their living. Following the budget announcement of Honourable Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot for the year 2022-23, Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme has been implemented in the state, on the lines of MGNREGA, to provide economic support to the families living within the limits of the urban bodies of the urban areas of the state, especially to the economically weak, helpless and unemployed families. The objective of this scheme is to ensure the security of the families living in urban areas by providing them 100 days of guaranteed employment in a year.

Subsidy on electricity bills is being provided to the agricultural consumers of the state through the ‘Mukhyamantri Kisan Mitra Urja Yojana’ started by the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Ashok Gehlot. Through this scheme, farmers will be provided a subsidy of one thousand rupees every month i.e. a maximum of Rs. 12 thousand every year.

‘Rajasthan Mukhyamantri Yuva Sambal Yojana’ has been started by the Government of Rajasthan to meet the needs of those youths of Rajasthan state, who are unemployed; despite being educated and are not getting job opportunities even after searching for jobs. This scheme was started by the Honourable Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Ashok Gehlot. Earlier, under this scheme, women beneficiaries were given Rs.3500 every month as unemployment allowance and men were given Rs.3000, but now the amount given under ‘Yuva Sambal Yojana’ has been revised. At present, unemployment allowance of Rs. 4500 is being given to women and transgender and Rs. 4000 to men.

The detailed description of some of the popular flagship schemes of the Government of Rajasthan is as follows: Chief Minister Small Industries Promotion Scheme: Under the Chief Minister’s Small Industries Promotion Scheme, a loan of Rs. 25 lakhs to Rs. 10 crores is made available for setting up enterprises. Rajasthan Investment Promotion 2019: For the balanced regional development of the state, more returns are payable even if investment is made in backward, very backward, tribal areas, hilly, desert areas.

Rajasthan Jan Aadhaar Scheme: ‘Jan Aadhaar’ is ‘one number, one card, one identity’ scheme. Through Jan Aadhar Card, citizens will be able to avail the benefits of the free mobile scheme of the state government. That is, with Jan Aadhar Card, the female head of the family will get a free smartphone in which internet and calling facilities will be available free for 3 years. Devnarayan Chhatra Scooty Distribution and Incentive Scheme and Kali Bai Bhil Meritorious Chhatra Scooty Scheme: Under this scheme, the girl students who have passed the university studies with 50 percent marks, are being provided scooties. Also, the number of scooties has been fixed on the basis of different percentage in the subject of science, arts and commerce. Rajiv Gandhi Scholarship for Academic Excellence Scheme-2021: Under this scheme, meritorious students of Rajasthan will be provided financial assistance to study in top universities of the world. ‘One Rupee per Kg’ Wheat Scheme: Through this scheme, wheat is given at the rate of 35 kg per family to Antyodaya families, 5 kg per unit to BPL ration card holders, Rs.1 per kg wheat per month. War for Purity: Milk, Mawa, Paneer, milk products, flour, gram flour, edible oil and ghee, dry fruits, spices will be tested in the campaign for ‘War for Purity’.

Nirogi Rajasthan: Chief Minister Free ‘Nirogi Rajasthan Yojana’ is a unique scheme in the medical sector across the country. Under this, all the services of OPD and IPD are being provided completely free of cost to all the residents of the state coming to all categories of state medical institutions. MSME Act-Self Certification: It was started to promote small scale industries.

Full industry status to tourism and hospitality sector: Under the budget announcement of the state government for the financial year 2022-23, the tourism and hospitality sector has got the status of industrial sector. Mukhyamantri Bal Gopal Yojana: Under the Mukhyamantri Bal Gopal Yojana, 150 millilitre milk - 15 grams of milk powder was made available to the children of class 1 to 5 and 200 millilitre milk - 20 grams of milk powder was made available to the students of classes 6 to 8. Chief Minister Free Uniform Distribution Scheme 2023: Under this scheme, an amount of Rs. 200 will also be distributed in the account of each child towards stitching of school uniform, so that he/she can get the uniform stitched.

Rajasthan Agri-Processing, Agri-Business and Agri-Export Promotion Scheme 2019: Under the Rajasthan Agri-Processing, Agri-Business and Agri-Export Promotion Policy-2019, a subsidy of Rs. 399 crore has been given to 1103 units in the state so far. Ghar Ghar Aushadhi Yojana: The ‘Ghar Ghar Aushadhi Yojana’ was launched by the Rajasthan government on August 1, 2021. Through this scheme, medicinal plants are being made available to one crore 26 lakh families of the state.

Silicosis Policy: The silicosis policy has been inaugurated by the state government on October 3, 2019. In the said policy, workers and labourers involved in the works of mines, factories, breaking stones, making powder by grinding stones, making ballast, making idols from sand stone, etc. are getting benefits. Indira Gandhi Matritva Poshan Yojana: The main objective of this scheme is to provide empowerment to all pregnant women. Through this scheme, financial assistance of Rs. 6000 is being provided to pregnant women. The scheme is based on conditional maternal support and nutrition counselling to improve the nutritional status of pregnant women and lactating mothers and children up to three years of age.

Chief Minister Ekalnari Samman Pension Scheme: Under the ‘Ekal Nari Samman Pension Scheme’, the government is giving Rs. 500 per month to women between 18 years to 54 years and Rs. 750 per month to women between 55 years to 60 years, while to those women who are aged between 60 years to 75 years, it is giving Rs. 1000 per month and Rs. 1500 per month to women above 75 years of age.

A widow/abandoned/divorced woman aged 18 years or more, who is a native of Rajasthan and living in Rajasthan, and who does not have any source of regular income of her own for subsistence, or the applicant’s total annual income from all sources. If their annual income is less than Rs. 48000, they are being given pension. Chief Minister Old Age Samman Pension Scheme: Social Justice and Empowerment Department is the nodal department of this scheme. A person below 75 years of age is being given Rs. 750/- per month and a person above 75 years of age is being given Rs. 1000/- per month.

Chief Minister Vishesh Yogyajan Samman Pension Scheme: Under the Vishesh Yogyajan Samman Pension Scheme, financial assistance of Rs. 250 is being provided to a person below 8 years of age. Under this pension scheme, financial assistance ranging from Rs. 750 to Rs. 1500 is being provided to the beneficiary.

Chief Minister Anuprati Coaching Scheme: Under Rajasthan Anuprati Yojana, all the financially weak students of the state are being provided financial assistance to get education. Chief Minister Kanyadan Yojana: Rajasthan Chief Minister Kanyadan Yojana, is providing financial grant up to Rs. 41000 to girls of BPL families, girls of Antyodaya families, girls of Aastha card holding families, daughters of economically weak families and widowed women. Under the Kanyadaan scheme, Rs. 41,000 is transferred directly to the bank account of the beneficiary girl. Palanhar Scheme: Under this scheme, grants are provided to the guardians for the upbringing, education etc. of orphan children. The annual income of the foster family should not exceed Rs. 1.20 lakh. It is mandatory to send such orphans to Anganwadi centre at the age of 2 years and to school at the age of 6 years.

For each orphan child, a grant of Rs. 500 per month is provided to the foster family for the child up to the age of 5 years and Rs. 1000 per month till the child completes the age of 18 years after joining school.

Jan Soochna Portal: It works like a platform, where citizens can see all the schemes run by the government at one place and avail the benefits of the schemes. Through this, the general public can reap advantages of all the facilities provided by the government.