Congress government is committed to usher in all-inclusive welfare: Deputy CM and Ministers

Telangana State launches four new welfare schemes on Sankranti, aiming to uplift poor and underprivileged sections.

This Sankranti will become the best-ever festival since the formation of Telangana as the State will witness the launch of four more welfare schemes on January 26 as part of the Congress government’s relentless pursuit to usher in all-encompassing welfare for bettering the lot of poor and underprivileged sections, said Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka.

He was speaking at the review meeting on four new welfare schemes held at the Integrated District Offices Complex in Khammam on Monday. Ministers N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Tummala Nageswara Rao and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Khammam MP R Raghuram Reddy were present.

Listing out a slew of welfare schemes being implemented by the Congress government, the Deputy Chief Minister said the four new schemes — Rythu Bharosa, Indiramma Atmeeya Bharosa, Indiramma Housing and new ration cards will entail an expenditure of ₹40,000 crore to ₹45,000 crore to the State exchequer. Irrespective of financial constraints, the people’s government is going ahead with the new schemes to keep its word given to people, he added.

He elaborated that ₹22,500 crore for Indiramma housing scheme, ₹2,000 crore for Indiramma Atmeeya Bharosa and ₹19,000 crore for Rythu Bharosa will be spent. For all cultivable lands, an amount of ₹12,000 per acre will be provided to farmers per year. The scheme will also apply to farmers who were issued pattas under the Recognition of Forest Rights (RoFR) Act.

Landless agriculture families which do not own even a cent of land and have job cards given under the Employment Guarantee Scheme and have worked for at least 20 days will be eligible for Indiramma Atmeeya Bharosa Scheme, he explained.

Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy said new ration cards will be issued from Republic Day to supply 6 kg of fine rice each to white ration card holders. The State government will spend about ₹11,000 crore to ₹12,000 crore on supply of fine rice per annum, he said, outlining the flagship welfare schemes of the Congress government for farmers, poor and underprivileged sections.

Mr. Srinivas Reddy asked officials to ensure the selection of eligible beneficiaries for the four welfare schemes in a transparent manner in the Gram Sabhas to ensure that the welfare schemes reach all eligible poor people. He added that a total of 4.5 lakh houses will be constructed under the Indiramma Housing Scheme in the first phase.