Telangana Govt to unveil slew of welfare schemes

​Hyderabad: State government is set to introduce more welfare schemes in addition to the existing schemes to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore in the budget proposal for 2017-18.

The schemes are being introduced by the State Agriculture department, Horticulture, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, Women Welfare and Child Development, Endowments, Rural Development, Social Welfare and other departments looking after minority, SC and ST welfare.

Pension for single woman, financial assistance to weavers community and special development schemes for sheepherders, aqua farmers and other traditional occupants are among the new schemes to be brought into force in the next financial year.

The decision to introduce the new schemes has been taken by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao in the recent meetings held with all the BC Federations, Weavers organisations and communities engaged in the traditional occupations.

The officials of the State Finance department told The Hans India that the proposals for the new schemes forwarded by the respective departments were under active consideration. Nearly, 20 new schemes would be introduced in the budget proposals.

The allocation of funds for the schemes would be decided by the Chief Minister in the final meetings beginning from 27th February. The district Collectors have been asked to furnish the details of the beneficiaries under each scheme in two days.

The funds for all new and old schemes would be earmarked in scheme expenditure of the budget proposals as the government gave up the practice of plan and non-plan allocation of funds.

It is estimated that the state exchequer would have to bear Rs 2,000 crore to Rs 3,000 crore additional burden in 2017-18 after the enforcement of the new schemes and the total expenditure to be spent on flagship welfare programs may increase to nearly Rs 35,000 crore.