T focuses on Dalit empowerment with Ambedkar Abhaya Hastham

Hyderabad: After launching a series of welfare initiatives like Rythu Bharosa, loan waivers, and Indiramma houses, the Telangana govt has now prioritised Dalit empowerment, unveiling the Ambedkar Abhaya Hastham scheme.

Originally known as Dalit Bandhu and revamped by the Congress govt, the scheme has seen an initial disbursement of Rs 330 crore to 10,408 beneficiaries—mostly from the Huzurabad constituency, where it was first piloted by the previous BRS govt.

Under the programme, the beneficiaries selected during the previous administration will receive Rs 10 lakh each, as per the old scheme guidelines. However, the Congress govt plans to increase this amount to Rs 12 lakh under the revamped initiative. "The revamped initiative aims to provide financial assistance to Dalit families, with a focus on addressing their socio-economic challenges and taking forward out commitment to welfare of marginalised communities," a senior official said.

The SC development department issued new guidelines recently, clarifying that the beneficiaries selected during the 2023 assembly election period, when around 1.30 lakh applications were received, would only receive the previous Rs 10 lakh.

These applications were questioned by the new govt, which believed that many were from BRS workers or their families, rather than genuine beneficiaries.

As a result, the Congress govt has put a hold on further applications while considering whether to issue new guidelines and re-open the scheme for fresh applications.

In the upcoming state budget for 2025-26, the govt is expected to allocate additional funds and finalise the guidelines for the Abhaya Hastham scheme.

A key concern is ensuring the scheme's benefits reach the most deserving Dalits, as the previous version had no income limits, allowing employees and higher-income individuals to benefit.