Interview | Schemes not reaching all, we are fixing lapse: Thulasi

K.A. Thulasi, Kerala's Minister for Welfare of Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes, has identified significant challenges in ensuring welfare schemes reach their intended beneficiaries, even within his first month in office.

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On paper, we can see crores of rupees being spent on various schemes, but in practice, the question remains whether the most eligible people are getting the solutions to their problems. That’s a challenge. We cannot fix all issues in one day.

Thulasi noted that while substantial funds are allocated on paper, the practical reality is that many eligible individuals are not receiving the support they need. He described this as a key challenge, emphasizing that "we cannot fix all issues in one day." The minister has been actively engaging with officials and the public to understand the systemic lapses that have persisted over the last decade and to devise solutions.

Personal visits to departmental offices and settlements of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities have been crucial for Thulasi. These visits allow him to observe firsthand the poor condition of homes, inadequate road access, and other critical issues that might be overlooked in official reports. He cited the example of a cancer patient in an ST settlement who was surviving on community support, highlighting that departmental schemes exist but are not actively reaching such individuals.

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There are definite lapses in our mechanisms, and we will work on fixing them. Only then can our schemes reach the rightful beneficiaries.

Despite the state government's current financial constraints, Thulasi stressed that the delivery of essential aid for housing, health, and education cannot be halted. He affirmed the government's policy to prioritize those who have been historically underserved, vowing to work diligently to rectify the mechanisms that prevent schemes from reaching the rightful beneficiaries.

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Even if there is financial crunch, we cannot sit around denying help to people needing homes or financial aid for health issues or assistance for students. Our government’s policy is that those who have not been getting the benefits so far must get priority in the aid they deserve.