Revival of Baby Kit Scheme A Reminder of TDP Government’s Betrayal of Women

The TDP government's decision to revive the baby kit scheme highlights the ongoing injustice faced by new mothers in Andhra Pradesh.

Under the previous YSRCP government’s YSR Asara scheme, new mothers received ₹5,000 through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) immediately after childbirth. However, the Chandrababu Naidu-led NDA government has discontinued this initiative, replacing it with baby kits valued at only a few hundred rupees.

With an estimated 3 lakh women giving birth in the past year, the collective financial loss due to the withdrawal of the Asara scheme amounts to ₹150 crore—a figure that could rise to ₹750 crore over five years.

This move is a reminder of how the TDP government has been betraying women in the State.

In the run-up to the elections, the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance had made several promises such as ₹18,000 annually for every woman above 18 under the Ada Bidda Nidhi scheme, free bus travel, and ₹15,000 in support for school-going children. Yet, in a characteristic reversal, the Chandrababu Naidu government has failed to deliver on these commitments—and in some cases, has backtracked altogether.

For instance, while the TDP alliance promised free RTC bus travel across the State, the government now claims that the benefit applies only within the limits of each woman’s district.

There are also growing concerns about the healthcare system, which is on the verge of a collapse, with Aarogyasri services discontinued in network hospitals due to non-payment of bills. Additionally, contracts for the supply of medicines, emergency medical services, and diagnostics are allegedly being awarded to favoured companies offering high commissions, raising questions of transparency and public interest.

The same model appears to be at play in the procurement of baby kits, with reports suggesting that the contracts were given to firms with close ties to the ruling party.