YSRCP demands data on Talliki Vandanam scheme

Speaking to the media here on Friday, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Botsa Satyanarayana said the government failed to implement the scheme in its first year. In the second year, it neither paid the promised amount nor covered the promised number of students.

"Instead of the promised Rs 15,000 for every school-going child in a family, only Rs 13,000 was paid. There are also reports that many beneficiaries received only Rs 8,000 or even less. While the scheme required more than Rs 13,000 crore, the budget allocation was Rs 9,605 crore, and the actual amount released was only Rs 8,484 crore", he said.

He said these figures were mentioned in the Legislative Council itself. Despite Chandrababu Naidu's tall claims, the scheme remained more of a publicity exercise than a genuine welfare programme.

With the government announcing the Talliki Vandanam scheme for the third year, YSRCP demanded that it disclose complete details, including the total number of beneficiaries, the amount being released, and the number of students who will receive the benefit. The government should also clear the dues from the previous year and disclose how much remains unpaid and to how many students.

Botsa Satyanarayana alleged that the "Chandrababu Naidu government had cheated students by failing to honour its promise." He said the education system was being weakened by discontinuing the reforms introduced by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. "The Nadu-Nedu programme, which completed two phases, has been stalled, while reforms such as English-medium education, the subject teacher concept, school kits, and other initiatives have also been adversely affected".

He further alleged that government lands in the city were being allotted at throwaway prices and that large-scale land grabbing was taking place. He also said that when YS Jagan Mohan Reddy visited to console the families of the missing fishermen, the visit was unnecessarily politicised. (ANI)