The Navaratnalu is the flagship programme of the YSRCP government and the government is taking every care to ensure that the delivery mechanisms are fool-proof and the benefits reach the target populations. But in the name of ensuring the success of Navaratnalu, is the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government watering down all other welfare programmes? Those in the know say – yes.

Schemes like foreign education promotion, best available school scheme, Kalyana Kanuka, incentives for inter-caste marriages, gifts during Sankranthi, Ramzan and Christmas festivals, building of community halls have been hit hard. Insiders say that the YSRCP government has stopped the construction of 1187 BC community halls being built at a cost of Rs 165 crore and 12 BC bhavans being built at a cost of 56.47 crore soon after it came to power. Similarly, the construction of SC, ST Ambedkar Bhavans and housing schemes have also been stopped.

Sources also say that schemes like Chandranna Kanuka have not been allocated even a single rupee. Even the incentives for inter-caste marriages have been stopped. Ditto with the financial help for higher education. The schemes that promoted education in foreign countries and the Vidyonnati scheme that enabled civil services aspirants to avail financial assistance have also been stopped.

The AP government says that Amma Vodi, Vidya Deevena and other schemes are enough to take care of the educational needs of the students. It has claimed that the earlier schemes were redundant and have been scrapped. Similarly, the festival gifts, that the earlier government had given to the people of the minority communities, has also been stopped. This has affected nearly 12 lakh households. The general opinion is that Navaratnalu is no replacement for the slew of welfare schemes. The specific purpose for which the schemes were put in place have been defeated, sources say.