Telangana: CM KCR launches Dalit Bandhu in Huzurabad
The Chief Minister paid tributes to the portraits of Dr BR Ambedkar and Babu Jagjivan Ram before formally launching the Dalit Bandhu scheme at a massive public meeting held in Shalapally
Shalapally: Putting an end to doubts being raised, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Monday announced that the entire Dalit population including the government employees in the State will receive the financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh per family under the Telangana Dalit Bandhu scheme. In addition to Rs 500 crore released for its implementation in Huzurabad Assembly constituency, the State government will release another Rs 2,000 crore to cover more than 21,000 Dalit families in Huzurabad constituency within next two months.
The Chief Minister paid tributes to the portraits of Dr BR Ambedkar and Babu Jagjivan Ram before formally launching the Dalit Bandhu scheme at a massive public meeting held in Shalapally of Huzurabad constituency here. The entire State Cabinet along with MPs, MLAs, and MLCs along with other elected representatives and the officials attended the ceremony.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Chandrashekhar Rao said the Dalit Bandhu scheme would bring a qualitative change in the lives of SCs in next four-five years. Though the scheme was planned for launch more than a year ago, it was delayed due to Corona pandemic. All the 17 lakh Dalit families with a total 75 lakh population, will be benefited from the scheme. “We will implement the Dalit Bandhu scheme on the lines of Rythu Bandhu. The government employees also will receive the benefit on the lines of Rythu Bandhu. However, they should avail the scheme after only after other eligible benficiaries especially the poorest of the poor without any livelihood receive the benefit,” he declared.
The Chief Minister said SCs have the lowest employment and income in the State, despite being the single largest community with highest population of 75 lakh in the State. They faced socio-economic discrimination for several generations and it should end with the Dalit Bandhu scheme. The people of Huzurabad constituency were urged to support the beneficiaries and make the scheme a grand success. “Huzurabad constituency should set an example for the entire country. It is high-time that discrimination towards Dalits ends and they are given the opportunities,” he added.
Chandrashekhar Rao reiterated that the beneficiaries are free to chose their profession, self-employment or businesses for utilising the funds under Dalit Bandhu scheme. He said the entire Rs 10 lakh will be given as a grant and urged the beneficiaries to earn Rs 20 lakh over next one year using the funds. “We will implement reservations for SCs in government contracts and licenced shops like fertilisers and medical shops. They must strive hard to make turn this scheme into a movement that will create history in other States as well,” he emphasised.
The Chief Minister slammed the Opposition parties for creating unnecessary confusion among the people for their political gain. He pointed out that none of the Prime Ministers, the Chief Ministers or any other leader had earlier any attempts to address the socio-economic discrimination towards the Dalits in such a large scale. He ridiculed them for coming up with absurd demands and arguments. He said his detractors had always raised doubts over his plans – from Telangana movement to free power and Kaleshwaram project to Mission Bhagiratha.
“None had spoken about Dalit empowerment before I announced the scheme. Today, even those who had done nothing for the cause or are in a position to spend a paise, are coming up with demands. This means that we are on the right path. Otherwise, why are they so bothered about the implementation of the scheme when neither the government nor beneficiaries have any problem?” he questioned. He said the onus of successful implementation of the scheme was on the intellectuals, government employees and students from Dalit community.
Chandrashekhar Rao declared that politics was a game for the Opposition parties, but for TRS, it is a responsibility to achieve social goals in the newly created Telangana State. He stated that he chose Huzurabad constituency for implementing the scheme on a pilot basis, as all his schemes like Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima which were launched from Karimnagar district were yielding great results. He said the Dalit Bandhu scheme was another major movement for Telangana and its people, next only to seperate statehood movement.
