Hyderabad, Feb. 4: The Andhra Pradesh Backward Classes Welfare Association on Sunday alleged that there is nothing new in the strategy papers issued on the Backward Classes, Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribe corporations by the State government recently.

Speaking to mediapersons, association president R Krishnaiah said only the ongoing schemes were mentioned in the strategy papers. In fact, the papers were released only to appease the Backward Class people, he charged.

Terming the strategy papers as publicity papers, he said the government was trying to cash in on the schemes introduced by the previous governments.

He said the Telugu Desam government was cheating the Backward Classes by claiming the credit for the old schemes.

Krishnaiah said the Telugu Desam government disappointed the BCs who have expected a lot from it. Though 25 policies were announced by the government in 1996, none of it was implemented so far. Coming down heavily on the government he said even in education sector BCs had a bitter experience in the hands of Telugu Desam. Several schemes meant for BC students were wound up recently, he said.

While there is a huge demand for more number of residential schools and social welfare hostels for the BCs, the government had declared that the existing hostels would be converted into residential schools, he said adding the move would deprive the BCs of their right to education. He also said the government made only empty promises that it would open 10 new residential schools every year for the BCs.

Krishnaiah demanded that the existing 1,427 hostels should be continued besides opening two fresh hostels in every Assembly Constituency.