Hyderabad: BC welfare allocation of Rs.20,000 crore was demanded by BRS leader Talasani Srinivas Yadav, who cited the community’s 50% population share and pending financial issues. He urged the state government to prioritise funding for Backward Classes.
Participating in the debate on the Governor’s address in the Assembly on Wednesday, Talasani highlighted financial gaps affecting BC welfare schemes. He said fee reimbursement arrears of Rs.10,000 crore continued to delay support to students. As a result, many faced difficulties in continuing their education.
He also called for immediate release of funds under the Jyothirao Phule Overseas Scholarship Scheme. According to him, delays affected BC students pursuing higher education abroad. Therefore, he stressed the need for timely financial assistance.
BC welfare allocation linked to reservation promise
Talasani Srinivas Yadav referred to the Congress party’s promise of 42% reservation for BCs. However, he said the government had not fulfilled this commitment. He clarified that tabling a Bill in the Assembly does not ensure legal validity. Instead, the Centre must include it in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.
He argued that without such inclusion, the proposal would not gain statutory protection. Consequently, he questioned the seriousness of the government’s approach to BC reservations.
BC welfare allocation demand questions leadership commitment
The BRS leader criticised the Congress leadership over its stance on BC welfare. He said senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi did not attend a protest organised in Delhi on the issue. According to him, their absence reflected a lack of commitment.
He also said ministers and MLAs from BC communities within the Congress faced difficulties in addressing related concerns. This, he added, indicated gaps in policy implementation.
Talasani reiterated that BC welfare allocation must reflect the community’s population share and pressing needs. He said adequate funding and policy action remained essential to address long-pending issues.