Hyderabad: Welfare funds meant for disabled about to lapse

Rajendranagar: With barely 22 days left for the conclusion of the current financial year, the funds for the welfare of disabled persons in Rangareddy district have not been utilised to its fullest. There is a possibility of funds being allocated under Economic Rehabilitation Scheme (ERS) may get lapsed.

According to the officials of District Welfare Department Rangareddy, they are presently busy sending proposals and reports to the government as there are only 22 days left for the conclusion of the current financial year.

"Atleast 10 to 20 people from every mandal have applied online for loans under Economic Rehabilitation Scheme (ERS). By the time the council elections end, the funds may get lapsed without utilisation. The government should speed up the process of application and ensure the benefits of ERS reach the needy," said Gorenkala Narsimha, the president of National Platform for the Rights of Disabled (NPRD).Loan applications under various schemes are pending since 2018-19. Atleast they should be sanctioned under the ERS. Lakhs of disabled persons, especially the educated, are living in a miserable state, he lamented.

"The government had allocated a budget of over Rs.4 crore for the year 2001-21 under Economic Rehabilitation Scheme (ERS) and later an additional amount of Rs.84 lakhs have been released that cumulatively narrows down to a total Rs.5.5 crore. We have received about 500 applications under bank linkage and over 100 applications under non-bank linkage scheme from various mandals of Rangareddy district since the month of January. All these applications are under process at various levels and are subjected to scrutiny by the district level authorities. However, we are unable to tell how long it will take to get the applications approved as there are certain parameters to be held while clearing off the pleas," informed an official of disabled welfare department on the condition of anonymity.