Telangana issues order to give ₹1 lakh financial assistance to eligible minorities

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‘With a vision to eradicate poverty’

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said the Telangana government was working with a vision to eradicate poverty regardless of caste and religion adding that the government was already supporting the poor of all sections.

He reiterated the state government’s commitment to the overall development and welfare of the minorities and the added efforts being made to eliminate poverty and backwardness among minorities by implementing many schemes in various fields including education and employment.

The chief minister said various activities taken up by the state government in this direction were yielding results.

He made it clear that the process of protecting Ganga Jamuna Tehjeeb would continue in the state by equally supporting different cultures, religions, customs and traditions.

రాష్ట్రంలోని బిసిలకు అందిస్తున్న తరహాలోనే మైనారిటీలకూ ఒక లక్ష రూపాయల ఆర్థిక సాయాన్ని పూర్తి సబ్సిడీతో అందచేయాలనే ముఖ్యమంత్రి శ్రీ కె. చంద్రశేఖర్ రావు నిర్ణయం మేరకు, రాష్ట్ర ప్రభుత్వం ఈ రోజు ఉత్తర్వులు జారీ చేసింది. తద్వారా మైనారిటీల ఆర్థిక స్వావలంబన దిశగా దేశానికే ఆదర్శవంతమైన మరో… pic.twitter.com/MU8w0Qou82

— Telangana CMO (@TelanganaCMO) July 23, 2023

Also read: Pension for differently-abled raised to ₹4,016/pm in Telangana

Eligibility

In the GO Rt No 78, dated 23 July, 2023, the state government ordered the implementation of the financial assistance scheme to eligible minorities candidates, as a one-time grant of 100 percent subsidy up to an extent of ₹1 lakh per beneficiary in Telangana with the following guidelines:

• Applications that were received in the financial year 2022-23 through the Online Beneficiary Management and Monitoring System (OBMMS) portal, but which are pending to be considered in the financial year 2023-24 for sanction of direct subsidy of ₹1 lakh for each eligible beneficiary, to be executed through Telangana State Minorities Finance Corporation.
• Fresh applications should be called for from applicants Christian community for the selection of candidates to extend financial assistance of 100 percent direct subsidy of ₹1 lakh each to be executed from Telangana State Christian Minorities Finance Corporation.
• The grant will be given only to one member of a family. The applicants’ age should be between 21 years and 55 years as on 2 June, 2023.
• The annual income of the applicant shall not exceed ₹1.50 lakh in rural areas and ₹2 lakh in urban areas.

Also read: BRS government all set to roll out ₹1 lakh financial assistance scheme

The selection

The selection process shall be completed by the District Level Monitoring Committee/District Level Screening cum Selection committee headed by the respective district collectors, who shall take the approval of the district in-charge minister for the scheme.

Phase-wise selection list will be displayed on the website of the Telangana State Minorities Finance Corporation or the TSMFC. The subsidy will be released as a one-time grant.

The vice-chairman and managing director of TSMFC and the managing director of Telangana State Christian (Minorities) Finance Corporation shall take necessary further action accordingly.

The Centre for Good Governance shall ensure that all the eligible criteria are incorporated in the online beneficiaries Management and Monitoring System, according to Syed Omer Jaleel, secretary to the government.

Also read: From PM Modi to CM KCR and Congress, all eyes on SCs

The ‘welfare’ measures

The ruling BRS has been trying to woo the different sections of the electorate with welfare measures lately.

On Saturday, the Aasara Pension, payable to differently-abled persons, has been hiked to ₹4,016 per month from ₹3,016, according to a Government Order (No 25) issued by the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department.

The Aasara pension hike comes close on the heels of rolling out a dole of ₹1 lakh to each eligible BC beneficiary to help them buy implements necessary for practising their traditional avocations.

Already about 5.28 lakh BCs have applied for financial assistance.

The help is mostly intended for the most backward classes (MBC) communities, who are still dependent on their traditional avocations to make a living, as they are in dire need of help.

The ₹1 lakh assistance scheme does not cover those who belong to BC castes which are already the beneficiaries of the government schemes like sheep and fish fingerling distribution, Kalyana Lakshmi, and support for overseas studies.

Also read: Telangana CM releases ₹400 crore fund to help BC community

The beneficiaries

A majority of the castes that would benefit from the new scheme would be from among the MBCs including the Rajakas (washermen), Nayi Branmins (barbers), Kummari (potters), Kamsali (goldsmiths), and so on.

The move came close on the heels of easing out of BC leader Bandi Sanjay Kumar from the helm of Telangana BJP and appointing Union Minister G Kishan Reddy in his place.

The Munnuru Kapu community to which Sanjay belongs feels estranged after his unceremonious exit and now they seem to be wondering whether they have a friend in the BJP.

When Finance Minister Harish Rao presented the state budget on 6 February, he described the current times as the “golden era for welfare schemes”.

Harish Rao made an allocation of ₹12,980 crore for the state government’s flagship programme of Dalit Bandhu to benefit 1,100 beneficiaries in 118 constituencies.

The finance minister allocated ₹7,890 crore for the double-bedroom scheme for 2,000 beneficiaries in each of the 119 Assembly segments. The chief minister will have the discretion of allotting another 24,000 houses.

A day earlier

On Saturday, the Telangana government took yet another decision that might pay electoral dividends to the ruling BRS in the Assembly elections scheduled for later this year.

The Aasara Pension, payable to differently-abled persons, was hiked to ₹4,016 per month from ₹3,016, according to Government Order (GO) No 25, which was issued by the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department.

The measure is expected to benefit more than 5 lakh differently-abled persons across the state.

The scheme came into force with effect from July.