BC Sub-Plan or budget sleight of hand: Talasani corners Congress govt

BRS leader Talasani Srinivas Yadav accused the Congress government of deceiving BCs with false promises, citing poor spending under the BC Sub-Plan and stalled welfare schemes in Telangana.

Hyderabad: BRS deputy floor leader Talasani Srinivas Yadav tore into the Congress government in the Assembly, accusing it of reducing the BC Sub-Plan to a budgetary illusion marked by tall claims and negligible spending.

He said the ruling party deceived the Backward Classes with the Kamareddy BC Declaration, promising 42 per cent reservations and massive welfare outlays, only to abandon them after assuming power.

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During the debate on BC welfare demands on Thursday, Srinivas Yadav drew a sharp distinction between promises and performance. He argued that while 42 per cent BC reservation might have legal and Central constraints, key areas such as the BC Sub-Plan, fee reimbursement, welfare funds and the MBC ministry lie squarely within the State’s control.

“The BJP never promised 42 per cent reservations. The Congress did. It must own that promise instead of shifting blame,” he said, adding that even the party’s protests in Delhi failed to draw support from its own high command.

The former Minister questioned the credibility of the government’s promise of allocating Rs 20,000 crore annually for BC welfare under the BC Sub-Plan.

“You allocated Rs 800 crore in the first year but spent barely anything. In the second year, Rs 11,000 crore was shown on paper, but actual spending was just Rs 3 crore. Is this governance or deception?” he asked.

Contrasting this with the previous BRS regime, he said Rs 45,000 crore was spent on BC welfare over nine years, alongside the expansion of residential schools, colleges, fee reimbursement and overseas scholarships. He also cited enhanced political representation for BC communities during the BRS regime.

Srinivas Yadav flagged a glaring mismatch between allocations and expenditure under the Congress rule, alleging manipulation of budget figures. He questioned the delay in releasing the Busani Commission report and criticised the lack of transparency in the caste census.

He said welfare schemes slowed while traditional livelihood support programmes like fish and sheep distribution had stalled, hitting BC communities dependent on such occupations. He also alleged that BC employees were being sidelined in administration.