Hyderabad, May 17 (UNI) Member of Parliament Godam Nagesh has alleged that the Telangana state government is withholding approximately Rs 300 crore released by the central government for the welfare of tribals and Adivasis.
Speaking to the media at the State Party Office in Nampally on Saturday, Nagesh expressed concern that these funds, meant to support some of the most vulnerable communities, have not been disbursed for the past five to six months.
He claimed there is growing suspicion that the Congress-led state government may be diverting funds intended for poor tribal communities to finance its own programmes.
Nagesh highlighted that tribal groups such as the Kolams, Thotis, and Chenchus had taken loans last year and started constructing homes, but the promised government assistance had yet to be released.
He further pointed out that despite the end of the academic year, tribal students had not received scholarships. According to Nagesh, the central government had already released the necessary funds for scholarships back in October, but the state had failed to distribute them.
Criticising the state’s inaction, Nagesh said that residential schools and ashram schools, which are supposed to be developed with central assistance under Article 275(1), remain neglected. The central government, he noted, has also provided support for student skill development, yet not a single rupee has reached the institutions concerned.
He also revealed that while Rs 5 crore had been released by the Centre for the Tribal Research Institute, the state government had not transferred the funds to the relevant welfare agencies. Similarly, under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Rs 16 crore was sanctioned on March 24 for rural infrastructure development. However, two months on, the state government has not disbursed the funds.
Furthermore, the MP stated that the Centre has allocated Rs98 crore for skill development and institutional strengthening, yet the state government has failed to utilise any of it. “In total, more than Rs 300 crore meant for tribal welfare is lying unused in the state’s accounts,” Nagesh alleged.
He questioned the Congress government's claim of a financial crisis, asking why funds provided by the Centre were not being sent to the districts. “Where has the money gone? Was it used elsewhere?” he asked.
Calling the situation “a betrayal of the tribal population,” Nagesh demanded that the Telangana government immediately release the central funds earmarked for the welfare and development of poor tribal communities.
UNI VV BD