Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) has instructed all officials concerned to conduct a special drive in the Huzurabad constituency for a week to 10 days to solve all land related issues of Dalits. He also instructed Karimnagar collector Karnan to solve the same, and also to gather information on “Dalitwadas” (Dalit villages) to find out the situation there.
“In Huzurabad there should not be any Dalit family without house. Cent percent all the housing problems should be solved. The government will extend financial assistance to construct a house for those who have vacant sites. Identify those suffering with ailments in Dalit wadas in Huzurabad Constituency,” said KCR, during a meeting with state government officials, Dalit community members and leaders at an eight-hour long conference held at his office a day earlier on Monday.
The chief minister’s meeting was conducted to create awareness on the new Dalit Bandhu scheme he had announced, which will first be launched in the Huzurabad constituency on a pilot basis. It may be noted that the Huzurabad assembly seat is now up for a by-election, as former MLA and member of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Eatala Rajender, who was sacked from the state cabinet by KCR, resigned as an MLA and later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
During the meeting, KCR asked officials should prepare a report on the situation of Dalits with regard to pensions, ration cards and to also identify all the problems and send them to the government. The chief minister also asked participants of the meeting to suggest any changes in the scheme, and apparently heard their views on it as well. Under the Dalit Bandhu scheme, members of the Dalit community will be given a financial assistance of Rs. 10 lakh.
All those participants here today should get victory in Huzurabad and create awareness later all over the State for Dalits. If Dalit Bandhu Scheme is successful, the Dalit development will take place. It is very unfortunate that the Dalits who have the talent and skills are kept away from the productivity sector by keeping them away from the villages in the name of Untouchability. It is also unfortunate that women are confined to unproductive sector due to gender bias. This is a foolish act,” the CM said.
The scheme was announced days after a Dalit woman, Mariamma, died in police custody, due to police excesses in lock up. The incident took place in Yadadri district last month. The opposition Congress took up the issue, after which KCR held a meeting with Dalit legislators and other community representatives, after which the new scheme was announced.
On Monday, KCR also reportedly told the participants that with the financial assistance given under Telangana Dalit Bandhu scheme, Dalits should develop itself as a business community by selecting industries, employment, and business of their choice. He said that other communities in villages should come to Dalits for taking loans and towards this the Dalit empowerment should be achieved.
“We will issue identity cards for the Dalit bandhu beneficiaries. We will insert an electronic chip in the cards for every beneficiary. We will monitor the implementation of the scheme through this. We will ensure that the beneficiary will become financially strong but never allow him to fall,” KCR added.