The issue of expenditure on Scheduled Castes development today witnessed a heated debate in the Telangana assembly with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao asserting his government took major steps for the welfare of Dalits.
Speaking in the Question Hour, main opposition Congress members J Geeta Reddy and S A Sampath Kumar alleged the funds meant for welfare of SCs were not fully spent for the purpose at the ground level.
Rejecting the remarks, Rao, who gave out statistics, said huge data on the issue has been provided to the members in a pen drive.
There are different schemes for welfare of Dalits and the government is ready for a separate and thorough debate on the issue, he said.
"Because we recognised the poverty among SCs. Telangana is the only state to give Rs 20 lakh under Ambedkar overseas scholarship. No other state in India gives (that much amount)," he said.
"It's true funds were diverted. It is under Congress regime, not in our regime," he said, adding the government is ready to discuss in the House SC, ST development for two days.
On a different query, Rao said a meeting would be conducted on December 3 with MLAs and MLCs and MPs belonging to backward classes to discuss an agenda for welfare of these sections.
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