Hyderabad: In the Telangana budget session for the fiscal year 2022-23, the ruling government has allocated Rs 17,700 crores for the Dalit Bandhu scheme. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi’s (TRS) decision hopes to provide financial assistance of Rs 10 lakhs to every Dalit family in Telangana.
Invoking Dr BR Ambedkar in his budget speech, Telangana Finance Minister Harish Rao remarked that the CM was keen on fulfilling the aspirations of Dr BR Ambedkar by working towards the upliftment of the Dalit community.
“The scheme will work as a tool to alleviate the poverty, and social discrimination the Dalit community has been dealing with. This move will change the direction in which the country is headed,” said Rao. He further added that the scheme was more than just a mere token but aimed to help the underprivileged castes in development, employment and aiding their self-respect.
What is Dalit Bandhu?
This latest flagship program by the Telangana government envisages empowerment and uplift of Dalits. It is done via a one-time direct cash transfer of Rs 10 lakh to each family of that community, the biggest ever direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme in the country.
To simply put it, the government shall extend financial help to Dalits to set up a business of their choice, which will pave the way for their financial independence. A beneficiary can choose to buy anything for his/her business–like power tillers, harvesters, paddy planting machines, auto trolleys, tractors, etc for their farms to setting up a poultry farm, dairy farm, oil mill, grinding mill, steel, cement and bricks business, furniture shops, cloth emporiums, mobile phone shops or even tiffin centres and hotels.
“Dalit Bandhu is a free scheme and the amount given to the beneficiaries is not a loan. There is no need to repay the amount. There are no middlemen involved in the scheme and the amount would be deposited directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries,” the chief minister explained.
