Hyderabad: Opening a Pandora’s box of mistakes being made in identifying beneficiaries for overseas scholarships and other scholarship schemes for SCs, STs, BCs, EBCs, and minorities, AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi alleged that wealthy individuals have been enjoying government benefits at the expense of the poor.

Speaking in the Assembly during the discussion on the demand for grants for the welfare of SCs, STs, BCs, minorities, women and child welfare, and the disabled on Monday, 24 March, he claimed that people living in large houses, owning cars and multiple motorbikes, were availing themselves of scholarship schemes.

“I’m only saying that rights need to be given to the rightful people. I stand here to protect the rights of the poorest of the poor. Injustice cannot be meted out to the poor,” he said, stressing the need to rectify past mistakes.

He also suggested that overseas scholarships worth Rs 20 lakh should be granted to those who would be able to return to India after completing their education. Additionally, he proposed creating an account for beneficiaries to repay the amount after a certain period following their studies.

Appreciating Owaisi’s suggestion, Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu acknowledged that well-off individuals benefiting from such schemes was a concerning issue, urging all parties to unite in addressing it.

He further stated that whether it was the identification of beneficiaries for housing schemes, pensions, or any other welfare initiatives, ensuring that aid reached the poorest of the poor was essential.

Owaisi also demanded that the state government implement a minorities’ sub-plan and a BC sub-plan, which has been AIMIM’s long-standing demand since the BRS government. Referring to the Andhra Pradesh government’s enactment of both, he reminded the Congress government that these were assurances made in its election manifesto.

Citing data from the 2023-24 and 2024-25 financial years, Owaisi pointed out that funds allocated for various disadvantaged sections were either not being released or, if released, were not being utilised—whether in the tribal welfare department, the SC corporation, or in the 22 corporations under the BC welfare department and minorities’ welfare.

Owaisi urged the state government to increase the number of employees in the minorities’ welfare department, noting that there were only 238 personnel in the entire department.

He also highlighted that Rs 160 crore had been released by the Centre for the construction of minorities’ welfare residential educational institutions but claimed that the state government had not released these funds.

“If just Rs 60 crore is released by the state government, the construction of 30 minorities’ gurukuls will be completed,” he noted.

Additionally, he suggested establishing minority study circles in districts such as Karimnagar, Nalgonda, Khammam, and other areas with a significant minority population.