Telangana BC leaders demand full utilisation of allocated funds

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

“Announcements as big as a pumpkin, spending as small as a pea” captures the growing frustration over Telangana’s Backward Classes (BC) budget. As the 2026 financial year approaches, BC organisations question whether allocated funds will finally reach the community.

Despite speeches highlighting generous allocations over the past two years, actual spending has been minimal. BCs, constituting over 50% of Telangana’s population, continue to see limited benefits. MLC Teenmar Mallanna raised the issue in the Legislative Council, highlighting the gap between budget promises and real expenditure. The government had earlier promised a legally backed Mahatma Jyotirao Phule BC Sub-Plan, but no formal proposal has been tabled. BC leaders demand that the 2026 budget follow the principle of “our share according to our strength.”

Official figures reveal Rs 11,500 crore was allocated for BC welfare, but only Rs 2,426 crore has been spent. Education spending is particularly low: of Rs 1,908 crore for scholarships, only Rs 365 crore was disbursed; hostel food allowances saw Rs 120 crore spent out of Rs 435 crore; and Rs 700 crore for overseas scholarships remains largely unutilised. Overall, only Rs 2,068 crore of Rs 4,345 crore set aside for education has been spent.

Livelihood and social welfare allocations are similarly underutilised. For example, Rs 4,000 crore under BC corporations and the Rajiv Yuva Vikasam scheme yielded just Rs 13 crore disbursed; Kalyana Lakshmi assistance spent Rs 108 crore of Rs 2,173 crore. Many planned initiatives, including gurukul schools, BC Unity Bhavans, Vritti Bazaars, and toolkits for traditional artisans, remain unimplemented.

BC leaders insist that while allocations exist on paper, actual spending is negligible. They demand that the 2026 budget ensure proportional allocation based on BC population share, with every rupee spent strictly for BC welfare.