Telangana: Lakhs of Applicants Seek Welfare Scheme Benefits After Govt's Call

HYDERABAD: In an unprecedented development, the state government is being flooded with lakhs of applications from people for the new welfare schemes. The state government had invited applications for BC Bandhu and Minority Bandhu schemes, to avail of Rs 1 lakh financial assistance (to each beneficiary); Gruha Lakshmi scheme to the tune of Rs 3 lakh for construction of 2BHK houses on their own plots and for the second phase of the Rs 10-lakh Dalit Bandhu. The response for the Gruha Lakshmi scheme has been particularly overwhelming.

The application process started on August 7 with a four-day deadline, which has since been extended to August 12. Nearly 16 lakh applications have been received so far and the government expects the final figure to be in excess of 20 lakh.

However, the government has limited Gruha Lakshmi beneficiaries to a maximum of four lakh this year covering 3,000 beneficiaries in each Assembly constituency. This would mean that only one in five applicants will get the benefit.

Similarly, about 5.50 lakh applications were received for BC Bandhu against the quota of 35,000 beneficiaries. The target is to cover 300 beneficiaries in every Assembly constituency.

The Minority Bandhu scheme attracted 2.17 lakh applications. However, the government released a budget of only Rs 130 crore for this scheme, which could cover a maximum of 1.3 lakh beneficiaries.

As regards the Dalit Bandhu second phase, the government received nearly 2.50 lakh applications whereas the prescribed quota is 1.3 lakh beneficiaries with at least 1,100 in each Assembly constituency.

With ministers and MLAs being empowered to select the beneficiaries, applicants are running to the local BRS leaders to ensure that their names figured in the list of beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, complaints are pouring in from several districts against local BRS leaders for demanding bribes to extend the benefit.

The utterances of Adilabad MLA Jogu Ramanna reflect how the selection process has been marred by corruption. While distributing Rs 1 lakh cheques to BCs in Adilabad on Thursday, Ramanna, who addressed the beneficiaries, stated that it had come to his notice that the party’s village, mandal and constituency-level leaders were demanding up to Rs 30,000 for getting the Rs 1 lakh cheque.

"I am requesting all our party leaders not to indulge in such acts as it will bring disrepute to the state government," he said.

There are large-scale complaints that followers and close aides of ruling party legislators and ministers were demanding Rs 3 lakh to get the Dalit Bandhu benefit.

In should be recalled that while addressing the party's plenary meeting in April, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had issued a stern warning to MLAs stating that he had a list of MLAs, who were extorting money from Dalit Bandhu and 2BHK housing scheme beneficiaries. He warned of stringent action against all those who failed to mend their ways.