YSRCP targets Lokesh for discrepancies in Talliki Vandanam Scheme

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has launched a scathing attack on the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led Andhra Pradesh government, trending the hashtag #LooterLokesh on X to highlight alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Talliki Vandanam scheme.

The opposition party claims that the scheme, a flagship initiative under Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s “Super Six” promises, has been marred by discrepancies, including multiple payments linked to single Aadhaar cards and inflated beneficiary numbers.

YSRCP’s allegations

On June 15, YSRCP’s official handle posted explosive claims, alleging that the state government registered “340 children under a single mother’s name” for the Talliki Vandanam scheme in one instance, with similar patterns of 10 to 30 children per mother reported across villages.

YSRCP leaders, including state coordinator Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, have further alleged that thousands of rupees were credited to ineligible beneficiaries, with some individuals receiving multiple payments under a single Aadhaar card.

The party claims these discrepancies point to a deliberate attempt to siphon off funds, with social media posts suggesting that Rs 2,000 from each Rs 15,000 payment was diverted to accounts linked to TDP leaders, including Human Resources Development (HRD) Minister Nara Lokesh. These claims, however, remain unverified.

Talliki Vandanam scheme overview

Launched on June 12, 2025, the Talliki Vandanam scheme aims to provide Rs 15,000 annually to mothers of school-going children (Classes 1 to 12) to support education and reduce dropout rates. Of this, Rs 13,000 is directly transferred to the mother’s bank account via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), while Rs 2,000 is allocated for school infrastructure. The government disbursed Rs 8,745 crore to 67.27 lakh beneficiaries, surpassing the YSRCP’s Amma Vodi scheme, which covered 42 lakh students with Rs 5,540 crore.

Eligibility requires residency in Andhra Pradesh, a family income below Rs 10,000 (rural) or Rs 12,000 (urban) per month, and a valid Aadhaar card for both mother and child. The scheme has been praised for its scale, benefiting 30 lakh Backward Classes (BC), 12 lakh Scheduled Castes (SC), 4.26 lakh Scheduled Tribes (ST), 66,000 minorities, and 8.5 lakh Economically Backward Classes (EBC) students.

Lokesh also contrasted Talliki Vandanam with YSRCP’s Amma Vodi, alleging irregularities in the latter, including inflated enrollment figures. He emphasized that the current government’s scheme underwent a six-stage filtration process to ensure transparency, with grievances being collected via Grama/Ward Sachivalayams.

Call for transparency

As the controversy unfolds, YSRCP has demanded a probe into the scheme’s beneficiary list and payment records, urging the government to make the data public. The TDP, in turn, has challenged YSRCP to provide evidence of their claims, with Lokesh asserting that the government is open to including more eligible beneficiaries and rectifying errors.