Govt committed to welfare of backward classes

Hyderabad, Jan 11 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) today said the state government had initiated several welfare schemes for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward classes during the last four years.

Addressing a press conference here, party spokesperson N Tulasi Reddy said the government had increased the budgetary allocation of the backward classes welfare to Rs 2,672 crore in 2006-07 and Rs 3,090 crore during 2007-08 from Rs 1151.50 crore during 2002-03 and Rs 1,700 crore in 2003-04 when the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) was in power in the state.

Alleging that the TDP had totally neglected the welfare of the backward classes during its nine-year rule, he said the government had increased the diet allowance of social welfare hostels and scholarships and cosmetic allowances of the backward class students from 30 per cent to 40 per cent.

The government had also decided to reimburse the tution fees of backward class students and fill up the posts for 101 scheduled tribes hostel wardens and 136 backwards class hostel wardens in the state, he added.

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