Congress Banks On Welfare Vote In Jubilee Hills

Hyderabad: The ruling Congress is counting on around one lakh beneficiaries of its welfare schemes to secure victory in the upcoming Jubilee Hills Assembly bypoll. The party identified these voters as direct beneficiaries of important schemes such as free quality rice, 200 units of free household electricity, 500 LPG cylinders and free bus rides for women that have been implemented in the last 22 months. The Congress believes that these families, with around 4.01 lakh voters in the constituency, form a decisive vote bank.

Party sources said the government’s guarantees have taken strong root in the region. Approximately 25,925 households benefit from the free electricity program, while 19,658 families are provided with subsidized LPG cylinders. The free bus travel scheme for women, launched on 9 December 2023, has been particularly successful; More than one million women in Hyderabad have saved a total of Rs 2,410 million by using the zero ticket facility. It is estimated that women in Jubilee Hills alone have saved R120 million.

The government issued 14,197 new ration cards and added 8,123 names to existing ration cards. Each card-holding family is now provided with six kg of fine rice per person per month, significantly improving food security. Under the Indiramma Aasara pension scheme, 11,328 people, including the elderly, widows, disabled and dialysis patients, receive monthly financial support.

Within GHMC limits, Indiramma Canteens provide food and economic relief to more than 25,000 daily wage earners and slum dwellers by serving Rs 5 meals. On the development front, infrastructure works worth Rs 5.51 billion are ongoing under the Special Development Fund, focusing on roads and civic amenities. Another Rs 6.43 billion was sanctioned for drinking water and sewerage improvements.

To reduce traffic congestion, the government has approved construction of flyovers and underpasses at important junctions such as Jubilee Hills Check Post, KBR Park entrance, Road No. 45, Film Nagar, Maharaja Agrasen and Basavatarakam Cancer Hospital at a total expenditure of Rs 826 billion.

Modernization of power infrastructure is also ongoing with Rs 11 million approved for new transformers, 11 KV feeders and 13 km LT line upgrades. GHMC has proposed an underground power cabling project worth Rs 162 million to improve reliability and aesthetics in the constituency.