The Andhra Pradesh government has established exclusive corporations for the Reddy, Kamma and Kshatriya communities. Government orders to establish the three bodies were issued by the Backward Classes Welfare Department on May 21. The Government Order said that the funds allocated to these corporations will be used to support the economically weaker people of these communities. The Reddy, Kamma and Kshatriya (or Raju) communities are among the socially and economically dominant communities in the state, and fall under Open Category (OC).
The orders noted that most members of the three communities are from agricultural families, and that several individuals of these communities possess large landholdings with assured irrigation facilities. However, it claimed that a “majority of them are small and marginal farmers having no assured irrigation facilities” with crop yield affected by irregular rains and drought conditions. “... taking into account the rising agricultural inputs and in the absence of remunerative prices, the income of the families are affected and resulting in poverty,” the orders said.
They also said that with more emphasis laid on education in recent times, members of these communities sold or mortgaged their agricultural lands for education expenses. The economic disparity within each of these communities “is resulting in economic unrest and to neutralise the same, institutional finance is required,” each of the orders said. The three corporations that have been established under AP Societies Registration Act, 2001 are Andhra Pradesh Reddy/Kamma/Kshatriya Welfare and Development Corporation.
Prior to this move, the YSRCP government had set up 56 BC corporations for 139 Backward Classes in the state, with the objective of providing financial assistance for the creation of income-generating assets and to provide financial assistance to artisans for improving their livelihood activities. The setting up of BC corporations was a poll promise made by Jagan during his padayatra ahead of the 2019 polls.