Hyderabad: BRS senior leader Shaik Abdullah Sohail alleged minority welfare neglect Telangana, accusing the Congress government of low fund allocation and poor utilisation of budgets.
He said the approval of only Rs. 267.73 crore for the first quarter of 2026–27 reflected continued under-spending. He added that this raised concerns about the government’s commitment to minority welfare.
Referring to the annual allocation of Rs. 3,769 crore, Sohail stated that total expenditure was unlikely to exceed Rs. 1,200 crore. He said this amounted to about 31.8 percent utilisation, which he termed far below expectations.
The Minority Welfare Department issued administrative approval for first-quarter funds through GO Rt. 58. However, Sohail said dues from the third quarter of 2025–26 remained unpaid, while the fourth-quarter budget was yet to be released.
He stated that issuing approvals without actual fund disbursement hindered implementation of welfare schemes.
Minority welfare neglect Telangana reflected in scheme allocations
Sohail highlighted partial fund releases across major programmes. Under Rajiv Yuva Vikasam, only Rs. 197 crore was cleared against a total provision of Rs. 790 crore.
Similarly, the Training and Employment Scheme received Rs. 7.5 crore against Rs. 30 crore. The Minority Finance Corporation was allocated Rs. 37.5 crore out of Rs. 150 crore.
Allocations for educational support were also limited. The Minorities Study Circle received Rs. 1 crore against Rs. 4 crore. Dairatul Maarif at Osmania University was sanctioned Rs. 75 lakh out of Rs. 3 crore.
He added that funds for Urdu Academy infrastructure and grants were restricted. As a result, concerns grew over the functioning of minority institutions.
Sohail said delays in fund release directly affected implementation on the ground. He noted that institutions faced difficulties due to non-payment of bills and salaries, while uncertainty continued over actual fund release.
Minority welfare neglect Telangana impacts education schemes
The BRS leader said the situation was severe in education-related schemes. Referring to 2025–26 data, he stated that spending remained low in fee reimbursement, scholarships, and training programmes.
He added that several schemes recorded negligible or zero expenditure, affecting students and youth from minority communities.
Criticising Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Sohail said the Congress had promised a Rs. 4,000 crore minorities welfare budget. He also cited the proposed Minorities Sub-Plan aimed at ensuring full utilisation.
He said that despite completing two years and four months in power, the government had failed to fulfil these promises.
Drawing a comparison with the previous BRS government, Sohail claimed fund utilisation had declined significantly. He alleged that utilisation rates had dropped to nearly 50 percent from over 90 percent in earlier years.
Sohail demanded immediate corrective measures and transparency in fund release. He said large allocations without actual spending created a gap between policy and implementation.
Abdullah Sohail also questioned the government’s priorities, stating that minority welfare programmes were being sidelined. He urged timely release of funds and effective execution of schemes.