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Telangana needs Rs 3,000 crore for farm scheme

The government is paying the enhanced pension to old beneficiaries as promised, doubling the pension amount.

Hyderabad: The state government does not have the money to implement its key election promises such as the investment subsidy to farmers under Rythu Bandhu scheme, waiver of Rs 1 lakh loan to farmers, enhanced pensions, subsidy for building one’s own home, and jobless allowance.

The government is paying the enhanced pension to old beneficiaries as promised, doubling the pension amount. But new beneficiaries are not getting their pensions.

The government used to spend Rs 5,000 crore per annum on the Aasara scheme. After doubling the pension amount, the government is required to fork out Rs 10,000 crore. If the new beneficiaries are added, the government has to find another Rs 3,000 crore.

Another welfare sche-me that was announced was unemployment allo-wance to unemployed educated youth of Rs 3,016 per month. In the vote-on-account, the state government allotted Rs 1,810 crore for this scheme. The fact of the matter is that the government has no correct data on unemployed educated youth in the state. The state government said that it will appoint a committee to study how other states are implementing this type of scheme. But so far no committee has been appointed and no steps have been taken to collect jobless data.

According to unofficial estimates, there are up to 15 lakh jobless youth. To give jobless allowance for one lakh persons, the state has to shell out Rs 30 crore per month. Some other schemes would require the Rs 6,000 lakh subsidy for building own house for those who have their own land.

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