Fact Check: AP Govt Condemns Fake Eenadu Article on SC/ST Sub Plan

AMARAVATI: The Andhra Pradesh State Social Welfare and Tribal Welfare departments condemned a newspaper article published in Eenadu paper as completely untrue and that the facts and figures presented in the article were distorted and fake. The article was published up as part of the propaganda against the AP government.
Technically speaking, since the financial year 2017-18, there is no plan or sub-plan in the budget due to the legislation passed by the central government. These allocations are being done under the names of SC Component and ST Component. Allotments are being made on the basis of the SC and ST population in the schemes and programs implemented by the government. It is clear that STs and SCs have benefited the most in these three and a half years after the formation of AP as a state. There is proof that the government is implementing the schemes in a very transparent manner for every eligible SC and ST who has benefited from various government programs and schemes along with their Aadhaar card details.

The details of the budgetary allocations are given below:

Plan and Non-plan

As the distinction between Plan & Non-Plan has been removed and there is no Plan from the fiscal year 2017-18

The allocation for the Scheduled Castes Component is based on a percentage of total schemes allocation for both Centrally Sponsored Schemes and State Government schemes and by duly ensuring that the allocation to the Scheduled Castes Component will not be less than the percentage of SC Population.

The percentage of the budget, on the whole, should not be taken up as a metric but only the percentage of allocation of Central/State sponsored schemes should be taken

Coverage under Pensions under earlier government

Pensions to Old age persons and women – (2016-17: 826 Cr, 2017-18: 865 Cr, 2018-19: 718 Cr)

Pensions to disabled persons (2016-17: 275 Cr, 2017-18: 275 Cr, 2018-19: 126 Cr)

Coverage of Mid-day meals cooking cost under earlier government – Primary and upper primary included (2016-17: 48.84 Cr, 2017-18: 52.72 Cr, 2018-19: 56.49 Cr)

The Ap Govt issued an ordinance on Sunday and extended the SC & ST sub-plan for a period of 10 years as the existing one lapses on Monday (January 23). The Secretary of the Law Department notified the ordinance - Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan (Planning, Allocation, and Utilisation of Financial Resources) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 - through G.O. Ms. No.7 dated January 22. The ordinance has been promulgated by the Governor under Article 348 (3) of the Constitution.

Also Read: Fact Check: Video of Odisha Official Disrespecting National Flag Shared with False Claim