Kavitha says welfare schemes not freebies, hits out at BJP

HYDERABAD: TRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha, hitting out at the Centre, came out strongly against the recent trend of terming welfare schemes for the poor as “freebies”, while saying the term applied to the write-off of large debts of “dupe agencies” by the BJP government.

In a media statement on Tuesday, Kavitha said, “The Telangana government implements 250 welfare schemes for the poor and needy. It is our responsibility as a government to keep the best interests of the poor in mind. We are against this trend (of terming schemes freebies).”

Kavitha said that the Centre was putting pressure on the state government to stop these schemes. “I believe a 'freebie' is what the BJP government at the Centre has done, that is writing off a `10 lakh crore debt,” she said.

“I request the intelligentsia of the country to oppose this atmosphere that is being generated,” she said. “India is such a diverse country, with people from all backgrounds. It is the government's responsibility to help the weaker communities to break the cycle of poverty and (ensure their) progress. State governments should work towards it and the Central government should not pose any hindrance to it.”