Dalit welfare schemes withdrawn by YSRCP government will be relaunched: Minister

Andhra Pradesh Minister vows to relaunch Dalit welfare schemes cancelled by YSRCP, focusing on previous TDP initiatives.

Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Minister Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy on Friday said the government would relaunch all the schemes that had been implemented for the welfare of Dalits during the earlier TDP term, but were cancelled by the YSRCP government.

Mr. Veeranjaneya Swamy was responding to a question asked by P. Gannavaram MLA Giddi Satyanarayana of the Jana Sena Party in the Legislative Assembly.

He lashed out at former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and alleged that Dalits were treated unfairly during the five-year YSRCP rule.

“The State government is working to relaunch the Dalit welfare schemes that have been active during 2014-2019 on priority basis. The Social Welfare Department will conduct a review meeting on these schemes. We may not bring new schemes due to inheritance of empty treasury from the YSRCP government,” Mr. Veeranjaneya Swamy told The Hindu.

“The SC, ST backlog posts were not filled during the YSRCP regime. The new industrial policy was not implemented for SCs and STs. The rule of reservation was not implemented. The AP Prohibition of Transfer of Assigned Lands Act has not been implemented,” he said.

The Minister alleged that the accused in the SC / ST atrocity cases had been granted station bail. “The rule of reservation was not implemented properly in government job promotions. SCs were not given priority in the implementation of schemes,” he said.

“The YSRCP government stopped additional financial assistance of ₹50,000, which was given by the TDP government for the construction of houses for the SCs. Dalits benefited in all ways during the previous TDP regime. Over 2.02 lakh SCs benefited to the tune of ₹2,716.70 crore through bank linkage loans provided by the Animal Husbandry Department with 60% subsidy,” the Minister said.