With Eyes on 2019 Budget, KCR mulls welfare budget

Hyderabad: Ahead of 2019 elections, the TRS government's full-year budget for 2018-19, which would be its last in its five-year term, is likely to be more populist in nature. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to have a record outlay of `1.8 lakh cr with focus on welfare schemes. 

Even if the elections are held latest by mid-2019, the budget for 2019-20 would not be a full-year budget. It would only be a vote-on-account one. "The budget for 2018-19 would be a cent per cent welfare budget. It would be a "please all and hurt none budget," a senior official told The Hans India. 

Apparently, eyeing all sections of the people in the next elections, the Chief Minister is busy finalizing liberal allocations in the budget for BCs, SCs, STs and minorities. He has been holding a series of meetings with select group of officials to for ideas to dish out of more welfare schemes to win to his side the economically backward families among the forward castes.    
   
Top officials said that KCR is according top priority to the welfare of all communities by earmarking substantial funds.  Allocations for the welfare departments will be at least 30 per cent more than what has been allocated in 2017-18 budget. 

The allocation made in the budget for welfare schemes was about Rs 65,000 crore. The sources said the BCs will get a windfall in the new budget since KCR is trying to warm up to them as they constitute more than 50 per cent of the population. 

The state government has already constituted MBC (Most Backward Classes) Corporation for which the government has made an allocation of Rs 1,000 crore in the 2017-18 budget. 

The outlay for them will be more than Rs 2,000 crore in the new budget.  The government is also seriously planning to increase allocations for Kalyana Laxmi and the pension scheme. “KCR is studying the financial implications as he has already proposed to double the amount under Kalyana Laxmi scheme from the present Rs 75,000 to Rs 1 lakh to each beneficiary. The plan to increase pension from Rs 1000 to Rs 1500 is also under active consideration,” a senior official said.            

The increase of financial benefits under the self-employment scheme implemented by all welfare departments was also taken into consideration. Under the SC, ST Sub-Plan, the government has earmarked funds proportionate to their population in the total budget outlay. On the same lines, the Chief Minister is planning to allocate funds based on the population for all BC communities and minorities for the welfare and development schemes.      

Allocations for the sheep distribution, welfare of fishermen through free distribution of fish-lings and promotion of aquaculture, empowerment of poor weavers by equipping them with modern technology, promotion of dairy industry, special schemes for women empowerment, employment schemes targeting youth and the promotion of traditional occupations in the villages will be accorded priority in the budget. Creation of educational opportunities and access to medical care free of cost will also be part of the welfare schemes.