The pro poor and welfare oriented budget sized Rs 149646 crore was presented by Etela Rajender. BJP floor leader G Kishan Reddy said that except figures there were no facts in the State budget. He further held that the scheme introduced by the State government on sheep rearing received funds from the Centre.
Telangana stands at second position in sheep population, it is not self-sufficient in catering to the meat demand. A Cabinet sub-committee recommend for distribution of sheep unit comprising of 20 ewe (female sheep) and 1 ram (male sheep) to 2 lakh Yadav families in the first year and cover the entire 4 lakh sheep rearing community in the second phase of next year. With this allocation, Etela expects the state to not only become self-sufficient but also start exporting meat.
As per the economic survey report, there are 7.29lakh sheep rearing families. The numbers with the planning commission (7.29lakh families) is different from that of the cabinet sub-committee (4lakh). While the committee has said that in the first phase 2lakh Yadav families will be covered in the scheme. There are 3.9lakh Yadav families as per the figures. In the second-phase all other sheep rearing community will be covered. The government has to clarify if in the second phase 2lakh families will be covered or the remaining 5.29lakh.
The first phase is clearly indicating the vote-bank politics as it only to the Yadava caste and not the sheep rearing families. The TRS Government proposed to extend financial assistance for sheep rearing activity to 4 lakh traditional shepherd families, so that their present income level may increase by about Rs 5000 per month.
