Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh minister for municipal administration and urban development (MA&UD) Adimulapu Suresh said that the state government is committed to the upliftment of Dalits and the implementation of various welfare schemes to improve their living standards.
Addressing the media here on Wednesday, he said that the state government’s commitment in this regard was proved by the extension of the SC and ST sub-plan for another ten years.
Rubbishing the comments published by a section of media, he said that yellow media is spreading false propaganda on the extension of the SC and ST sub-plan to protect the vested interests of TDP (Telugu Desam Party) and creating confusion among the castes.
He also recalled that it was the TDP chief who made derogatory comments like “Who would wish to be born in the SC community? What justice will he do for the Dalits?”, he asked.
“The YSRCP government is spending around 25 percent of funds for Dalits in every scheme,” he said.
Drawing a parallel between the previous TDP regime and the YSRCP, Suresh explained that TDP spent Rs 33,625 crore for SCs between 2014 to 2019.
“In the last three and a half years, the YSRCP has spent Rs 48,899 crore for SC welfare, which means Rs 15,274 crore (45.4 percent) was additionally spent,” remarked Suresh.
“For STs, TDP has spent Rs 12,487 crore during its five-year tenure, while YSRCP has spent Rs 15,589 crore (25 percent), which means Rs 3,101 crore additionally spent for ST’s welfare,” he said.
“The YSRCP government is ready to face any kind of auditing or scrutiny on the facts relating to the welfare of Dalits,” he said and rubbished the remarks of vernacular media of Rs 20,000 crore cut imposed by the government during its three-and-a-half years rule.
Reacting to Pawan Kalyan’s meeting on the sub-plan, he said, “Jana Sena Chief was acting according to the script given by Chandra Babu Naidu and should know the facts and figures before making further remarks.”
