Hyderabad: The allocation of Rs.3,591 crore for minority welfare in Telangana’s 2025-26 Budget has received mixed reactions, with both the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) expressing concerns over the government’s failure to fully utilise funds in the current fiscal year.
While minority leaders within the ruling Congress party have welcomed the budget, opposition leaders from the BRS have criticised it as inadequate. AIMIM, considered an ally of Congress, has stressed the need for proper fund disbursement to ensure the effective implementation of welfare schemes.
BRS and AIMIM leaders highlighted that only 40% of Rs.3,003 crore allocated for minority welfare in 2024-25 was utilised. The 2025-26 budget, presented in the Assembly by Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on March 19, earmarks Rs.2,846 crore for welfare schemes and Rs.745 crore for establishment expenses. Despite the increased allocation, the underutilisation of funds remains a pressing concern.
AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi pointed out in the Assembly that only Rs.1,330 crore of 2024-25 minority welfare budget had been spent. He criticised the government for returning unutilised funds and urged it to uphold minority rights with greater transparency. Owaisi also called for regular audits of all minority welfare schemes.
While expressing gratitude for Rs.24 crore released to pay honorariums to imams and muezzins, Owaisi demanded that future payments be processed via a green channel to prevent delays.
Former Minister and BRS leader Mohammed Mahmood Ali slammed the Congress for failing to meet its promise of increasing the minority welfare budget to Rs.4,000 crore and providing an additional Rs.1,000 crore for subsidised loans. He noted that while the Congress allocated Rs.3,003 crore in its first budget and Rs.3,591 crore in the second, the actual expenditure remained below 40%.
Mahmood Ali further accused the Congress government of neglecting minority education, citing deteriorating standards in institutions run by the Telangana Minority Residential Educational Institutions Society (TMREIS). He claimed that declining food quality was driving students away and contrasted this with the previous BRS government’s initiative to establish 204 minority residential schools. He also questioned the status of Congress’s electoral promises, including the Abdul Kalam Thufa-e-Taleem scheme, the distribution of one tola of gold under Shadi Mubarak scheme, and scooters for female students. He demanded the introduction of a minority sub-plan with legal backing for the Waqf Board.
Congress MLC Amer Ali Khan defended the budget, arguing that it reflects the party’s commitment to social justice. He welcomed Rs.840 crore allocation under the Rajiv Yuva Vikasam scheme, aimed at boosting self-employment among minority youth. He also advocated for a minority sub-plan to ensure that any unspent funds are carried forward to the following year.
Government Advisor on Minority and Weaker Section Welfare, Mohammed Ali Shabbir, described the budget as a crucial step toward social justice. He emphasised that minority welfare remains a top priority and expressed confidence in the role of Young India Residential Schools in providing quality education. Shabbir also highlighted the availability of self-employment loans of up to Rs.4 lakh under Rajiv Yuva Vikasam scheme and assured that the government is committed to fully utilising allocated funds for minority welfare.
