Telangana Govt For BC Welfare: Harish Rao

19 Mar, 2021 11:57 IST|Sakshi Post

Finance Minister T Harish Rao said “We are taking measures to support BCs in education and occupations,”

Hyderabad: The development of Backward Classes (BCs) is top priority of the Telangana government, said Telangana Finance Minister T Harish Rao. “We are taking measures to support BCs in education and occupations,” he said while presenting the Budget in the State Assembly here on Wednesday.

“Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phule said ‘Lack of education led to oppression of lower castes. Without education, there is no economic development. When there is no financial improvement, naturally the BCs face oppression in society. To provide quality education to BC students as per the global requirements, the government has established Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phule’s BC residential schools on a large scale,” Harish said.

For the 19 BC residential schools in 2014 with 7,580 student strength, Rs 44 crore was spent. But after the formation of the Telangana government, the number of BC residential schools were increased to 281. Books, uniforms, and other facilities were provided free of cost. Presently, 1,13,280 students are studying in these schools. For the maintenance of these schools, the government has allocated Rs 545 crore in 2021.

The State government has increased10 times, funds for BC residential schools. For BC students, the government is providing special hostels, pre-metric, post-metric scholarships, the establishment of women’s residential degree colleges, and providing quality education to them. For the purpose of pursuing overseas education by BC students, an amount of Rs 20 lakh each is being provided in the name of the Mahatama Jyothi Rao Phule overseas scholarship scheme.

An amount of Rs 178.52 crore has been sanctioned to 1,082 BC students. In the next two years, it has been decided to provide financial assistance to Nayee brahmins for establishing modernized saloons. The government has decided to construct modernized dhobi ghats for washermen.

The welfare of Toddy tappers

Since the government brought Neera policy for the welfare of toddy tappers, an amount of Rs 25 crore was proposed in the Budget, Harish Rao said. As a part of the Haritha Haram programme, the palmyra and palm tree plantations are also taken up. For accidental deaths, the government is extending Rs 6 lakh ex-gratia to the families of toddy tappers.

Sheep distribution

To achieve self-sufficiency in meat production, and enhance the living standards of Golla Kurmalu, the State government has taken up sheep distribution on a large scale. It distributed 77,02,737 sheep among 3,66,797 beneficiaries across the State at a cost of Rs 4,584 crore. It also provided insurance facilities to these sheep.

Rs 5,400 crore worth of wealth was accumulated to Golla Kurmalu in the State. In the coming financial year, the government has decided to provide another three lakh units with a cost of Rs 3,000 crore to Golla Kurmalu.

Welfare of fishermen

With the success of both Kaleshwarm and Mission Kakatiya projects, water bodies in the State are filled with water. They turned into the best sources for fisci culture. The State government is releasing a huge number of fish seedlings and shrimp into the reservoirs and ponds. An opportunity has been given to the fishermen themselves to catch these fish and sell it in the market resulting in an increase in income to them. The fish grown in fresh water in Telangana has high demand in the market.

The fishing industry is contributing 0.5 percent to the State GDP. At the time of formation of the State, 2,49,633 tonnes of fish were produced, which was worth Rs 2,479 crore. The government has released 268.37 crores of fish seedling and 11.64 crores of shrimp into 18,335 reservoirs. As a result, in one year’s time, fish production has increased substantially to 3,10,000 tonnes. The value of fish that is being produced in the State today is around Rs 4,670 crore. An additional income of 88 percent is added as compared to 2014.

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