Harish calls for restoration of Brahmin welfare initiative

Former Minister and MLA T Harish Rao has penned an open letter to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, urging the restoration of the Telangana Brahmin Samkshema Parishad. In his letter, Harish Rao expressed deep concern over the current state of Brahmin welfare schemes which have come to a halt under the Congress-led government.
The Telangana Brahmin Samkshema Parishad, established during the administration of former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, aimed to uplift poor Brahmins in the State. Under the KCR’s leadership, an annual allocation of Rs 100 crore was consistently provided for the Brahmin Parishad. Initiatives like the “Vivekananda Overseas Education Scheme” for students, the “Sri Ramanuja Fee Reimbursement Scheme,” and financial aid for Vedic schools and scholars through “Vedahita” were significant in promoting education and self-employment among the Brahmin community.
Harish Rao highlighted the achievements of the BRS government, which supported 780 underprivileged Brahmin students with Rs 20 lakh each for foreign education, benefiting 436 students through post-matric scholarships. Additionally, Rs 150 crore was allocated to empower 5,074 Brahmin entrepreneurs. The construction of Brahmin Sadans in Gopanapalli, Serilingampalli mandal of Rangareddy district—a Rs. 12 crore initiative—was also a notable accomplishment.
In contrast, Harish Rao criticised the current Congress-led government for neglecting Brahmin welfare, resulting in the suspension of essential Brahmin Parishad schemes. He urged immediate action to address the following issues to restore these vital programs: allocate Rs 100 crore annually to the Brahmin Parishad and form a governing body immediately; release Rs 30 crore for 300 students currently studying abroad who are suffering due to unpaid fees, and complete the selection process for 344 applicants for the 2023-24 academic year under the Overseas Education Scheme; release Rs. 16 crore for the 497 selected candidates and initiate interviews for the 1869 applicants for the 2023-24 term under the Brahmin Entrepreneur Scheme of Telangana (BEST); disburse pending wages of employees working in the Brahmin Parishad, which have been pending for seven months; disburse the pending honorarium of Rs. 5000 to Vedic pandits in schools, and provide Rs. 5000 to Vedic pandits above 75 years to support their financial needs; and resume and expedite the construction of Brahmin Sadans in Suryapet, Khammam, and Madhira without further delay.
Harish Rao emphasized that addressing these issues promptly would greatly benefit the Brahmin community and restore their welfare.