Finance Minister Etala Rajender evaded a direct reply when the Congress members quizzed him about the continuation of the Bangaru Talli scheme launched by the previous government in the Telangana Assembly on Monday. They wanted to know whether government would continue the scheme after the introduction of the Kalyana Lakshmi scheme.
Mr. Rajender said the schemes were different in nature. While Bangaru Talli dealt with education of poor girls the Kalyana Lakshmi scheme was about extending financial assistance to the marriage of SC and ST girls. He asked the Congress members to raise the question in a different form and government would reply. When pressed, he said the government would consider refining the Bangaru Talli scheme. Members need not entertain doubts since the TRS government was for welfare of the people.
K. Jana Reddy, Congress floor leader, said there was lot of anxiety among people that government might scrap the Bangaru Talli scheme which provided financial assistance right from birth of a girl child till her education and marriage. He wanted to know the government’s plans to reform the scheme.
Telugu Desam floor leader, E. Dayakar Rao, said though the Kalyana Laxmi scheme was good the Bangaru Talli scheme was even better as it provided more money and took care of education also. D.K. Aruna (Congress) wanted all poor families to be covered under the scheme. She sought information about the number of applications received till date. Jaffar Husain Meraj (MIM) said the Shahdi Mubarak scheme introduced for minorities was good but fulfilling the conditions laid down was difficult. He wanted the rules to be simplified.
Replying to the queries, the Finance Minister said government had earmarked in the budget Rs. 150 crore for SCs, Rs. 80 crore for STs and Rs 100 crore for minorities under the scheme. One time assistance of Rs. 51,000 would be provided to alleviate financial distress of the poor families. The scheme was launched from October 2 and so for 4 applications were received from Nalgonda and one from Warangal. SC and ST applicants have to produce cast certificates and also bank account number. The scheme would also be applicable to inter-cast marriages, the Minister said.
