'Benefit of central schemes not reaching people in UP'

Real benefits of the central schemes were not reaching to the people of Uttar Pradesh because of rampant corruption there, Union minister of state for minority affairs Salman Khursheed today said.

Only thirty paise reached the beneficiaries for every one rupee pumped in by the Union Government in the state because of corruption, Khursheed claimed addressing an election rally in Rari Assembly seat where by-election is slated for November 7.

"Yet the Centre is forced to provide funds or else the people would be deprived of even thirty paise," he said adding, otherwise schemes like mid day meal and NREGS could bring in sweeping changes in society.
    
The Congress leader claimed that Dalits had benefitted the most because of programmes started by the party.
    
Meanwhile, addressing a public meeting in Dulhayar village in Dhanghata tehsil under Haiser Bazar Assembly constituency in Santkabir Nagar, former Indian skipper and Congress MP Mohammad Azharuddin sought votes for development.

"Congress has to be brought back to power for the alround development of Uttar Pradesh which has suffered immensely under the successive non-Congress governments," he said.

Congress legislature party leader in UP, Pramod Tewari, said the state government was concentrating on putting up statues and had no interest in the development of the state.