Adimulapu refutes reports on cut in SC, ST welfare funds

Vijayawada: Municipal administration and urban development Adimulapu Suresh on Wednesday asserted that the YSRC government is committed to uplift of Dalits and STs and has thus extended the SC, ST sub-plan by another 10 years.

Rubbishing reports in a section of media, he said the government led by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has in fact spent additional 45.4 percent funds on SC welfare and 25 percent on ST welfare during past three-and-a-half years compared to the entire five-year rule of Chandrababu Naidu’s TD government.

Addressing media here, Suresh put out details saying Telugu Desam had spent ₹33,625 crore for SCs between 2014–19. In the past three-and-a-half years, YSRCP has already spent ₹48,899 crore on SC welfare, which means additional ₹15,274 crore or 45.4 percent extra expenditure.

Likewise, TD spent ₹12,487 crore during its five-year tenure on STs while YSRC has spent ₹15,589 crore during past three-and-a-half years on ST welfare, which translates to additional ₹3,101 crore or 25 percent extra expenditure.

The minister rubbished remarks in vernacular media that the government had cut down the expenditure by ₹20,000 crore during its three-and-a-half years’ rule.

Reacting to Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan's meeting on sub-plan, minister Suresh said the JS president is acting as per the script given to him by TD chief Chandrababu Naidu. Pawan Kalyan should check facts and figures before making any remarks, he remarked.