Every household benefiting from welfare schemes: Bhatti

Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka asserted that the Congress government’s welfare programmes are reaching almost every household in Telangana, with ₹1,64,431 crore directly transferred to beneficiaries’ bank accounts over the past three years.

Stating that he was prepared to debate anyone on the figures, he said every rupee available to the government was being spent systematically on welfare and development.

The Deputy Chief Minister was addressing a public meeting after laying foundation stones for development works worth ₹74.82 crore in the Achampet constituency, including a 220/33 kV substation at Mannanur.

Mr. Bhatti said the government was implementing welfare measures on an unprecedented scale, benefiting around 1.06 crore families out of the State’s 1.15 crore households. Nearly 3.42 crore people are receiving six kilograms of fine rice free of cost every month, while 71.4 lakh farmers are benefiting from the Rythu Bharosa scheme. Around 43 lakh beneficiaries are receiving social security pensions, and 1.06 crore families are covered under Rajiv Aarogyasri, which provides medical treatment up to ₹10 lakh.

He said 53 lakh families were receiving free electricity up to 200 units a month, while women were benefiting from free bus travel under the Mahalakshmi scheme. The government was also continuing fee reimbursement for nearly 12 lakh students and providing breakfast, milk and ragi malt to 27 lakh students in government schools.

Highlighting the Indiramma Indlu programme, Mr. Bhatti said the government aimed to provide housing to seven lakh poor families, with 7,300 houses sanctioned in Achampet alone. Financial assistance of ₹5 lakh is being provided for each house. He also announced that the Indiramma Life Insurance Scheme would be launched on November 19 to provide financial security to families following the death of an earning member.

On infrastructure development, Mr. Bhatti Vikramarka said the government had allocated ₹90,000 crore for road construction across Telangana and would prepare district-specific development plans based on local resources, rivers, tourism potential and human capital. He said Achampet would be developed as a major transport hub through improved road connectivity, bridges and tourism infrastructure.

Recalling issues highlighted during the Congress padayatra in the region, Mr. Bhatti said the government was addressing them one by one. He reiterated that fulfilling people’s aspirations through a combination of welfare and development remained the primary objective of the ‘People’s Government’.