Controversy Surrounds Cancellation of 26 SC/ST Welfare Schemes in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh BJP leader Raveendra Medapati has accused the state government of cancelling 26 schemes meant for the SC/ST community. Medapati, who addressed a media conference in Vishakapatnam along with Bharatiya Janata SC Morcha general secretary K.N.P. Chakravarthy, claimed that the allocation of SC, ST Sub-Plan funds was diverted to schemes like ‘Navaratnalu.’ He also alleged that the YSRCP government has a tendency of creating corporations for sub-castes among SCs, but the money is not spent on the welfare of the SC community.

Demanding the revival of the welfare schemes, Medapati stated that the funds meant for the SC and ST Sub-Plans must be allocated exclusively for the welfare of the SCs and STs, respectively. The SC, ST Sub-Plan, also known as Indiramma Kalalu in Andhra Pradesh, was given a statutory status by the state government in May 2013. This made Andhra Pradesh the first state in India to provide a legal framework for the allocation of funds to these communities in proportion to their population.

The law also ensured that the funds could not be diverted and that the communities could have independent panels for auditing their expenses.

Neighbouring states, such as Karnataka and Telangana, have since followed suit and provided a legal framework for their SC/ST communities. The statutory status of the SC, ST Sub-Plan is a significant development in ensuring that the welfare of these communities is addressed in a transparent and accountable manner. The allocation of funds to these communities must be made with the intention of bettering their lives, and the revival of the cancelled welfare schemes is a crucial step in that direction.