Krishnaiah slams Budget allocation for BC welfare, terms it too little

Mr. Krishanaiah demanded that all parties give 50% tickets to BC candidates in the coming elections.

hyderabad

National Backward Classes Welfare Association president R. Krishnaiah has demanded that the Telangana government increase the allocation for BC welfare to at least ₹20,000 crore instead of ₹8,000 crore in the Budget given that except for some outlay for the construction of residential school buildings, the allocation covers only existing schemes.

In a statement, Mr. Krishnaiah, who represents the YSR Congress Party in Rajya Sabha, said the allocation would hardly meet any of the demands of the existing schemes of the BC welfare department, though there were no new schemes. The amount would not even be sufficient for fee reimbursement, scholarships, mess charges considering the price rise and increased fee in colleges.

There was no allocation towards the promise made to open 119 new BC residential schools and to give subsidised loans to 5.3 lakh pending applicants of 12 BC federation of the BC Corporation.

Mr. Krishanaiah demanded that all parties give 50% tickets to BC candidates in the coming elections, Centre take up caste census and create a Ministry for BC welfare. He cautioned that BC electors would vote against the parties which would not support their demands in the coming Parliament elections.

At another event here on Sunday, United Phule Front convenor Gattu Ramachandra Rao said that by making a meagre allocation for BC welfare and development, the Congress government had proved its anti-BC attitude. He reminded that the party had announced, as part of its BC Declaration, that it would allocate ₹1 lakh crore for BC welfare and development in five years and taking into consideration the ₹8,000 crore allocation, it would not reach even half of what was promised.

Other UPF functionaries including Taduri Srinvas, Rajaram Yadav and Bolla Shiva Shankar demanded that the government complete BC census in six months time and implement at least 42% reservation in local bodies.