Out of the budgeted ₹305.8 crore for educational schemes for minorities in FY 2023-24, ₹174.23 crore remained unspent by the Minorities Welfare department.
Data obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by activist M.A. Akram shows that majority of funds meant for fee reimbursement scheme for students (reimbursement of tuition fee and maintenance of tuition fee) remained unspent.
While the allocation for the two stood at ₹305.8 crore, as much as ₹174.23 crore was not used. Additionally, a little over half of the funds allocated to the Centre For Educational Development of Minorities, the agency that provides coaching for competitive examinations, were also not spent.
“More and more students and parents are showing interest in higher education and that means more funds are required. The spending patterns over the last few years has remained the same. I hope this changes now,” Mr. Akram said, adding that he had filed the RTI to understand the government’s spending patterns better.
Similar was the case with the Chief Minister’s Overseas Scholarship Scheme, which offers one-way airfare and fee to those studying abroad. Of the ₹118 crore allotted, around ₹35 crore remained unspent.
While the previous government waxed eloquent on providing financial assistance to minorities under its bank linked subsidy scheme, routed through the Telangana State Minorities Finance Corporation (TSMFC), the agency’s spending for other schemes was low. While ₹150 crore was allocated for the scheme, ₹112 crore was spent.
According to the RTI response, the TSMFC was allocated ₹120 crore for other welfare schemes, of which ₹85 lakh was spent. The scheme expenditure, which excludes salaries and maintenance, for the Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Institutions Society saw an allocation of ₹222.92 crore. The expenditure stood at ₹112.67 crore.
