WELFARE MEASURES OF GOVERNMENT OF TELANGANA

WELFARE MEASURES OF 

GOVERNMENT OF TELANGANA

(Source: CM speaks in Assembly)

In Telangana State majority of people belong to weaker and downtrodden sections. 85% of the population comprise of Scheduled castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes and Minorities. Government has initiated a variety of welfare measures for the benefit of these vulnerable sections of the society. In the erstwhile united AP state budget allocation for welfare measures was very little and absolutely inadequate. Against this background as against an allocation of a meager Rs. 8 Crores for welfare measures in the united AP, the Telangana Government now has allocated a huge amount of Rs. 34 Crores. For SC and ST categories in the ratio of their population funds are being released and spent. Care has been taken for non-diversion of funds allocated for them. Welfare programs for all sections of the society in the State of Telangana are the most important priority of the State. 

A number of welfare departments such as SC Welfare, ST Welfare, BC Welfare, Women Welfare and the Disabled Welfare Department implement welfare Schemes.  The State has launched a number of novel schemes to achieve this goal.

To mention few of the welfare measures: land purchase scheme for distribution to Dalits as part of giving the 3 acres; formation of two committees to study conditions of STs and Minorities and based on its report to initiate some more welfare measures for their development; pensions to old age people, widows, handicapped, Beedi workers, toddy tappers, poor artists and so on. As many as 36 lakhs under different categories are receiving pensions ranging from Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1500. In addition, with an objective to ensure stomach full meal to each and every poor family, rice is being supplied at Rs. One a Kilogram and towards this, for each member irrespective of the number, six kilograms of rice per head is also being supplied at that cost.

Income limit for eligibility of obtaining benefit has been raised to Rs. 1. 5 Lakhs (from Rs. 60, 000) in rural areas and to Rs. 2 Lakhs (from Rs. 75, 000) in urban areas. This makes many come under BPL. Welfare measures largely benefit lower income employees like Anganwadi workers also. This will enable a large number of beneficiaries to access the government scheme.  The income criterion is for all the schemes of the Government.

To go into details of allocations in the 2015-2016 budgets for welfare measures: for SC development an amount of Rs. 8089 Crores, for ST welfare Rs. 5036 Crores, for Minority welfare Rs. 1105 Crores, for BC welfare Rs. 2172 Crores, for civil supplies Rs. 7390 Crores, for labor welfare Rs. Rs. 24 Crores, for transport department Rs. 133 Crores, for Aasara pensions Rs. 3943 Crores, for women and child welfare Rs. 2037 Crores and for weaker sections housing Rs. 4057 Crores. Total allocation for welfare measures amounts to Rs. 33, 986 Crores in 2015-2016 budgets.

DETAILS:

Today’s child is tomorrow’s citizen…and…future generations need to prosper come what may. They are to be healthy and to study well and progress well. With this objective hostel children are being provided with fine rice with unlimited food. Adequate budgetary provision is made for women and child welfare. Lactating and pregnant women are provided with better meal with egg as well as milk. For cooking efforts are being made to make Telangana State a kerosene free one with supply of gas connections to as many as possible. Aiming at dignity of living two bed room housing scheme has been introduced and launched. Kalyanalaxmi and Shadimubarak Schemes are introduced by way of financial assistance to girls at the time of marriage with an amount of Rs. 51, 000. Government is committed for the welfare of poor and deserved. Similarly welfare of Journalists, Advocates, Home Guards, Auto drivers, tax exemption for agriculture purpose tractors, orphan children, economic support scheme, interest free loans for DWKRA groups, salary hike for Government employees, RTC employees etc.

All eligible agricultural landless poor SCs are being provided three acres of land per household.  Where households have less than three acres such extent so as to top up land to make it to 3.00 acres is provided through the land purchase scheme.  The maximum cost per acre is fixed at Rs. 7.00 Lakh per acre. 

With a view to enable poor girls in their marriage expenses, the government has announced a scheme of Kalyana Lakshmi for SC and ST and Shadi Mubarak scheme for the minority community.  Under the scheme all eligible girls from SC, ST and Minorities who are to get married are provided an amount of Rs. 51,000/- before marriage.  The amount is remitted in to the bank account of the girl.

With a view to help the youth through Self Employment schemes with the bank linkage, the Government has announced a new policy of subsidy, wherein the subsidy has been made substantial and attractive for all categories of finance.  In the past the maximum subsidy given under economic support scheme was only Rs. 30,000/- this has been raised with a minimum of Rs. 80,000/- for a unit cost of Rs. 1.00 Lakh; Rs. 1,20,000/- for a unit cost of Rs. 2.00 lakhs and Rs. 2,50,000 for unit cost of Rs. 5.00 Lakh and above. This will enable a large number of youth to access a wide variety of schemes.

In order to encourage SC-ST students for higher studies in leading universities in other developed countries such as U.S.A, U.K, etc Ambedkar Overseas Vidya Nidhi (Education) Scheme has been introduced. In 2015-16 Minorities also have been included under the overseas education scheme.

The Government is providing Post Matric Scholarships for poor students to pursue professional, degree and post graduate courses. Government has taken a decision to continue the post Matric scholarship scheme with a revised income of Rs. 1.50 Lakh (Rural) & Rs. 2.00 Lakh (Urban) to pursue higher education on a saturation basis. The Total amount of Scholarships is paid to around 14.00 lakhs students each year and the amount is around Rs. 2400 Crores per annum.

Government is running hostels for the welfare of poor students by providing their food, shelter, dress, book etc. Government is running a large number of Residential schools (637) for imparting quality education to students of weaker sections at an estimated cost of Rs. 860.00 Crores.  Top class education facilities are provided by way of infrastructure, logistics and quality teaching.  The performance of residential schools is much higher than the other schools in the state. Government is running a large number of study circles for the welfare of the poor students to compete for a large number of competitive exams.

The State of Telangana has 35,700 Anganwadis centers functioning through the 149 ICDS projects and provides services like supplementary nutrition, immunization, health checkups, referral services etc. Government of Telangana has the distinction of universalizing one Full Meal Programme from 1^st January, 2015 in the name of Arogya Lakshmi which is unique in the entire country in the sense that one hot-cooked meal is served with daily egg and milk to ensure that the pregnant and lactating women have nutritious food at the Center itself along with Iron and Folic Acid Tablets to reduce anemia and malnutrition. Though it is resulting in additional financial commitment of Rs.327 Crore per annum, the State Government is committed to the goal of improving the nutrition and health status of the pregnant and lactating women in the State which directly impacts on the health and nutrition status of the next generation of the State.

Recognizing the contribution made by the Anganwadi Centers in improvement of nutrition and health status of women and children, the Government of Telangana has increased the honorariums of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers with effect from March, 2015 from Rs.4200 to Rs.7000 and from Rs.2200 to Rs.4500 respectively.

Government of Telangana gives utmost priority to the safety and security of women in the State. Telangana is the first state in entire country which constituted a High Level Committee to suggest measures for effective implementation of various legislations meant for safety and security of girls and women. The Committee made its recommendations and based on those recommendations, different departments are taking various measures for improved safety and security of women. This is another unique initiative by Government of Telangana.

In the past, social security pensions provided were meager and, barely sufficient to cover the basic minimum requirements of the needy.  With a view to combat the ever-increasing cost of living and inflation, the Government has introduced a new scheme called Aasara pensions, which will provide substantial financial benefits to all the above categories, particularly those who are most needy. The scale of assistance has enhanced from Rs. 500/- to Rs. 1500/- per month for disabled persons and from Rs. 200/- to Rs. 1000/- per month for other than disabled persons. Government has also introduced Financial Assistance to Beedi Workers at the rate of Rs.1000/- per month. Government has announced and is being implemented a new scheme for providing accidental insurance for Rs. 5.00 lakhs for Transport Drivers/Home Guards/Working journalists. Premium for the insurance policies will be totally borne by the Government.

As a welfare measure the Government is providing rice and other commodities such as Dal and Sugar to 90, 90,350 households through 17,159 fair price shops. Fundamental changes have been made in the food security scheme of the Government and the Ceiling on the number of beneficiaries in a house hold has also been removed. The Government has also started a scheme for supplying “Fine Rice” for all hostels, Mid Day Meal Programme benefitting 35.25 lakhs children.

With sanctioning of Deepam Connections by way of a proactive measure by addressing the oil companies to provide 20.00 lakhs connections under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme Telangana state has become a “Kerosene free State”.

The Government of Telangana has redefined the concept of housing for the poor by enhancing the quality and space for the construction of house to give dignity to the poor.  As against the old yardstick of 260 square feet the government presently has launched the new scheme with a two bedroom, two toilets and a hall and kitchen with 560 SFT. This is perhaps the only state in the country to launch such a liberal scheme for the poor.  Each house would cost Rs. 5.04 lakhs in rural areas and 5.30 lakhs in the urban areas. It is also proposed to provide the requisite infrastructure at the cost of Rs. 1, 25,000 per house in rural areas and Rs. 75,000 per house in urban areas.