HYDERABAD: One feature that stands out in the budget of Telangana State for 2017-18 is the massive jump in the allocation to the welfare sector that broadly covers a whole gamut of traditional occupations pursued by the most backward classes and backward classes.
“This budget is for the welfare of people not a ballot box budget,” said Finance Minister Etala Rajender. No wonder the budget allocations for the welfare of various sections and sectors totalled around ₹41,000 crore, a quantum jump over ₹21,700 crore allocated during 2016-17. In the process, the effort is also to change the meaning of welfare from handing over doles to help the vulnerable sections grow economically.
Of the ₹41,000 crore welfare budget, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, got the lion’s share together accounting for ₹22,540 crore under the respective Special Development Funds following changes in the SC and ST Sub-Plans in line with new budget format. It will be spent for education, health, land purchase, Kalyanalakshmi, overseas studies and skill training, among others, for their overall human development index.
Income generation
Apart from huge allocation of funds, the narrative is also about various proposals aimed at creation of income generating avenues, augmentation and employment for the poor. If these proposals and measures are to be monetised for various communities pursuing traditional caste-based occupations, the welfare expenditure will rise even more.
The government also focused its attention on strengthening the rural economy through encouraging traditional occupations in the villages. Promotion of sheep rearing to help four lakh Yadava families at 75 % subsidy, fillip to fisheries by distribution of fish seedlings to Gangaputra, Bestha, and other communities, financial aid to caste-based communities figured in the welfare schemes without specific allocation.
New schemes
The budget for 2017-18 featured new welfare schemes too. For the first time, the government recognised the Most Backward Classes (MBCs) with neither land to cultivate nor social security. A separate corporation was constituted for their welfare with an allocation of ₹1,000 crore. An attempt to address the poor infant and maternal mortality rates was made by announcing ₹12,000 for a woman undergoing institutional delivery in a government hospital and an additional ₹1,000 to the woman giving birth to a girl. ‘KCR Kit’ consisting of 16 essential things needed for a newborn baby got ₹605 crore budget outlay. Women and Child welfare got ₹1,731 crore.
