BJP demands fee reimbursement for BCs ahead of Ugadi

Hyderabad : Welcoming the Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s assurance of budget release under fee reimbursement scheme to minorities educational institutions in the wake of festival of Ramzan, the BJP member Payal Shankar on Monday demanded the government to release fee reimbursement for BCs as well in the wake of Ugadi and Sri Ramanavami.

Speaking during the discussion on various demands in the Assembly on Monday, Payal Shankar pointed out that during the discussion on the budget, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy assured the MIM members that the fee reimbursement would be released this month in the wake of Ramzan. He said that the party welcomes releasing budget for the minorities since Ramzan festival was coming but the government should also release fee reimbursement for others because they had Ugadi and Sri Ramanavami festivals ahead.

Responding to this, BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said that the BJP member was misleading the House and the CM had told that he would be releasing the salaries of Imams and Mozins which were pending. The Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu said that the fee reimbursement is done as per the procedure and it was not proper for the BJP member to say that money was released only to minorities. Reacting to this, Payal Shankar said, “We are not finding fault with the government releasing funds to minorities. We are just asking about BCs who also need money to celebrate festival.”

The BJP leader asked how the government would be implementing the 42 per cent reservations to BCs. He said that the non-BCs were getting reservations in the GHMC elections. How will the government do justice to BCs in 42 per cent as per the Act passed in the House? He alleged that while there were corporations for every caste and federation there were no funds to give. He said that the funds allocated to these corporations and federations were useful only to give salaries to their staff and not for the communities.

The BJP leader said that the previous BRS government ignored Centre’s proposal of having an Air Force Station at Adilabad in 2015. He wanted the State government to pursue this matter with the Centre as it would bring development in the backward Adilabad district. He urged the government to give freedom and power to the new municipalities in the State.