Telangana Dalit Beneficiaries Await Congress Promise of Rs 12 Lakh Aid

Beneficiaries of the Dalit Bandhu scheme in Telangana have expressed disappointment over the Congress government's delay in fulfilling its promise to raise financial assistance for Scheduled Caste families from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 12 lakh.

Under the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi administration, the Dalit Bandhu scheme was introduced on August 16, 2021. The initiative provided eligible SC households with a direct financial grant of Rs 10 lakh each, free of bank loan linkages, to help them set up income-generating enterprises and foster entrepreneurship.

Across the state, the financial aid enabled numerous beneficiaries to establish viable businesses. In Rajanna Sircilla district, two beneficiaries, Ragula Sagar and Nerella Shekhar, pooled their funds to purchase a bus operated on hire with the state road transport corporation. Other recipients, including several women, invested the funds in tractors, harvesting machines, trolley trucks, and collaborative rice mill units.

During the 2021-22 financial year, Rs 4,441 crore was allocated for the program, with Rs 4,150 crore distributed across districts to assist nearly 38,323 identified SC households. For 2022-23, the projected outlay was Rs 17,700 crore, aiming to cover 1,500 beneficiaries in each Assembly constituency. The administration also set up the Dalit Rakshana Nidhi, a safety net corpus built through a Rs 10,000 contribution from each beneficiary to support families during emergencies.

However, following the change of government in 2023, community members report a halt in similar support. In its election manifesto, the Congress had pledged to introduce the Ambedkar Abhaya Hastham scheme, promising Rs 12 lakh in financial aid per SC and ST family spread over five years starting from 2023-24. The party also assured 18 per cent reservation for SCs and 12 per cent for STs in government procurement and public works contracts. Over two and a half years later, beneficiaries note that these budgetary commitments and welfare assurances remain unfulfilled.