Shimla: The BJP has launched a scathing critique of the Congress party over what it describes as a betrayal of its election promises through the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana. The scheme, which was launched with the promise of providing financial aid to women, is now facing criticism for failing to meet its initial guarantees.
Karna Nanda, BJP media in-charge, accused the Congress of repeatedly making bold promises during election campaigns and subsequently failing to deliver. “It has become a pattern for the Congress party to promise the moon during elections and then backtrack once they are in power,” Nanda said.
The controversy erupted following statements by Congress Minister Dr. Dhani Ram Shandil, who announced that only one woman per family would now receive the Rs 1500 benefit under the scheme. This announcement marks a significant deviation from the pre-election assurances made by prominent Congress leaders including Priyanka Gandhi, Rajiv Shukla, Bhupesh Baghel, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, and Mukesh Agnihotri. These leaders had guaranteed that every woman in Himachal Pradesh would receive Rs 1500, irrespective of the number of women in a household.
Nanda highlighted that the scheme, which aimed to support women between the ages of 18 and 60, has received applications from 7,88,784 women over the past 18 months. However, only 28,249 women have actually received the funds so far. Additionally, 2,384 applications were rejected due to non-compliance with eligibility criteria, and there have been reports of previously disbursed funds being reclaimed.
“This scheme has become a source of frustration and disillusionment for women rather than a support mechanism,” Nanda alleged. He emphasized that the revised scheme benefits are far from the sweeping promises made during the election campaign, leaving many women feeling deceived.
The opposition leaders have voiced similar concerns, accusing the Congress government of failing to honour its election commitments and misleading voters. They argue that the revised structure of the scheme is a clear indication of the Congress’s failure to deliver on its promises, which has undermined trust and confidence among the beneficiaries.
