Himachal Women Await Promised ₹1500 as Congress' Poll Guarantee Falters Three Years On

7 months ago

This India Today special report examines the status of the Congress party's pre-election promise to the women of Himachal Pradesh: ₹1500 per month under the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behen Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana. Nearly three years into the government's term, the report finds that lakhs of women are still waiting for the financial aid. While the government states over 35,000 women have received benefits, many on the ground report irregular or no payments, with one woman stating, 'I didn't even get 5 rupees, how will I get 1500 rupees?'. The report travels to Sisu and Mandi, highlighting the discrepancy between the poll guarantee and its implementation. The government cites financial constraints for the phased rollout, but the opposition calls it a betrayal, questioning whether the promise was for empowerment or merely to win votes.

Transcript

00:00Now, ahead of the elections in the state of Himachal Pradesh,

00:03it was the Congress that had promised 1,500 rupees per month

00:06under the Indira Gandhi Piyari Behensukh Samman Nidhi Yojna.

00:10Now, nearly three years later, lakhs of women are still waiting.

00:14Only 35,000 women have received the benefits so far.

00:17Many are facing irregular or missing payments.

00:21Women on the ground are also questioning whether the scheme was meant to empower them

00:24or to just win votes.

00:25Watch this report.

00:30For lakhs of women in Himachal Pradesh,

00:33a promise made before the elections has now turned into a long, silent wait.

00:38The Indira Gandhi Piyari Behensukh Samman Nidhi Yojna promised 1,500 rupees per month.

00:45It was one of the Congress Party's biggest poll guarantees

00:48and a key reason for the party to come to power.

00:52Nearly three years into the government's term,

00:54the hope remains the money does not.

00:57Only 35,687 women have received benefits so far.

01:05Lakhs are still waiting.

01:07Some after one installment, many after none.

01:10India today reached Sisu village in Lahol,

01:13where women say the promise has barely been fulfilled, if at all.

01:18You know this, the government has promised a 15,000 rupees per month.

01:21Yes, I know.

01:22You know it.

01:23You know it?

01:24Yes, I know it.

01:24You know it.

01:25You know it?

01:26Yes, I know it.

01:27Yes.

01:28You know it.

01:29You know it?

01:30Only one month.

01:31There will be many.

01:32There will be many.

01:33We will be very few.

01:34But there will be other people who have received a month.

01:36Yes, I know it.

01:37What is your name?

01:38Dabindra Deviji.

01:40Dabindra Ji, the government has told me that they would get a 15,000 rupees per month.

01:43Did you hear that?

01:45Yes, I heard it.

01:46Yes, I heard it.

01:47But it will not be paid.

01:49So now it will take 4 years and 3-4 days and then will get money?

01:53No money is not paid.

01:54I won't have paid 5,500 rupees because I will get it when I get it.

01:57That is what we did.

01:57That is how we told them.

01:59Even local representatives admit the gap between promise and delivery.

02:29The story is no different in Mundi, where women say they applied nearly three years ago, but their bank accounts remain empty.

02:59The chief minister however insists the scheme is being implemented in phases, citing financial constraints.

03:29But women on the ground point to changing rules, exclusions based on government jobs, pensions or income certificates, conditions that were never highlighted before the elections.