Kalyana Lakshmi row: Ponnam Prabhakar orders probe into delay

BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the Telangana government would investigate the delay in Kalyana Lakshmi scheme benefits and fix responsibility for any lapse. He said the scheme had not been scrapped and the government was pursuing legal remedies

Hyderabad: Amid protests by Kalyana Lakshmi scheme applicants and the BRS across the State, BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the government would investigate whether the delay was due to legal proceedings or a lapse by officials.

“The government will inquire whether the lapse was with officials handling SC, ST, BC and Minority Affairs or with those managing the government’s legal matters. We will take action against whoever is at fault,” Prabhakar said at a press conference here on Monday.

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Along with Animal Husbandry Minister V Srihari, the BC Welfare Minister said the Congress government was continuing the scheme based on the Government Orders (GOs) issued by the previous administration.

“We have no ill intentions regarding this scheme. A stay was granted on the scheme following politically motivated petitions. The scheme has not been scrapped and we are continuing to implement it,” he said.

Countering the BRS protests across the State, Prabhakar said the opposition was shedding crocodile tears. He said funds for the Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak schemes had been released through the ‘Green Channel’ since the Congress government assumed office.

Stating that the issue was before the court, the Minister said the High Court had issued interim orders halting the scheme. “We are now moving to appeal this decision before the Division Bench and remain hopeful of a favourable outcome,” he said.

Prabhakar said any loopholes in the scheme stemmed from errors made by the previous government. He said the situation would not have arisen had the orders been issued correctly at that time.

“The Congress government will soon rectify the errors made by the previous administration and ensure the scheme continues,” Prabhakar said. He added that the government remained committed to implementing the Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak schemes.

The government respected the court’s orders and had already explained the legality, constitutionality and public interest involved in the schemes through a comprehensive counter-affidavit, he said. The government was using all available legal avenues to ensure that the poor did not suffer any loss, the Minister added.