Harish Rao Criticises Congress Over Minority Welfare and Welfare Dues
BRS senior leader T. Harish Rao on Sunday accused the Congress government of failing to honour its promises to minorities, farmers, and poor families across Telangana. Speaking at an event organised by the Telangana Turaka Kasha Welfare Association in Hyderabad, the former minister alleged that the current administration has drastically cut back on welfare spending and failed to deliver on its commitments.
Rao stated that the Congress government is spending only ₹1,300 crore on minority welfare, falling far short of its pledge to allocate ₹4,000 crore. He claimed that the BRS administration had raised the minority welfare budget from nearly ₹300 crore to ₹1,800 crore during its tenure, whereas the current dispensation is spending ₹500 crore less than what BRS had allocated.
The BRS leader also raised concerns over education and administrative delays, alleging that minority students are being deprived of overseas scholarships. He noted that during its 10-year rule, the BRS government spent nearly ₹1,550 crore on overseas scholarships for minority students, compared to just ₹14 crore spent by the Congress administration over three years. Furthermore, he pointed out that employees of the Minority Finance Corporation and the Urdu Academy are facing regular delays in receiving their monthly salaries.
Turning to agriculture and irrigation issues, Rao highlighted developments in Gajwel, stating that the previous BRS government had resolved drinking water and irrigation shortages through the Kondapochamma Sagar and Mallanna Sagar projects. He accused the ruling party of failing to utilise available Godavari water, describing the current water scarcity not as a natural drought, but as a crisis created by the Congress government.
Rao further criticised the state government for unresolved rehabilitation issues, highlighting pending compensation for families displaced by the Mallanna Sagar project. He also flagged widespread delays in social welfare assistance, stating that nearly two lakh applications for the Kalyana Lakshmi scheme remain pending across the state.
Demanding immediate action, Rao urged the Congress government to clear all pending dues without further delay. He called on the administration to promptly fulfil the promises it made to minorities, women, farmers, and displaced families during the elections.
