Hyderabad: The all-party meeting held by chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) unanimously on Sunday decided to send Rs. 10 lakh in financial assistance to the bank accounts of the Dalit beneficiaries under CM Dalit Empowerment Programme, to eligible candidates in order to make them financially self-sufficient economically.
The meeting was held by KCR after the custodial death of a 40-year-old Dalit woman named Mariyamma, who died in police custody at Addaguduru police station in Yadadri Bhongir district on June 18. The issue was raised by Congress legislative party leader and Madhira MLA Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka last week. In the first phase of the programme, 100 families from Telangana’s 100 Assembly seats will be given the financial support. From all over the state, the assistance would be given to the eligible 11,900 people selected, said a statement from KCR’s office.
For this, the all-party meeting under the chairmanship of chief minister decided to earmark Rs. 1200 crore for the CM Empowerment Programme and to give financial assistance directly to the bank accounts of the selected Dalit beneficiaries to their bank accounts, like it is done in the case of Telangana’s Rythu Bandhu scheme for farmers.
The proposed CM Dalit Empowerment Programme would bring in a qualitative change in the lives of Dalits and the programmes launched by KCR and his thoughts on the community have become a role model for the country, added the statement. During the meeting, KCR stated that all-party meeting was convened to make them stakeholders to stand united by Dalits and to “remove” their inferiority in order to bring in qualitative change in their lives.
On Sunday, the meeting was held at Pragathi Bhavan to finalise guidelines for the CM Dalit Empowerment Programme with representatives of Dalits for a marathon 11 Hours, said the statement from KCR’s office. The meeting included several Dalit MPs, MLAs, MLCs, intellectuals, and senior leaders from various political parties.
Speaking during the meeting, KCR said, ”It is a blot on Indian society that Dalits are subjected to social and economic discrimination. This is deeply bothering all of us. The Telangana state government has introduced several schemes and programmes for the development and welfare of Dalits. It has attained qualitative change in agriculture and education sectors. But yet with an aim to set the Dalit families who are under the poverty line move towards development, CM Dalit Empowerment Programme is being introduced at a cost of Rs 1200 Crores.”
The Telangana chief minister also apprised the meeting that swift action will taken by him in the case of Mariamma’s lockup or custodial death. The lady was arrested and was reportedly illegally assaulted by the police, due to which she succumbed to her injuries. Congress’s Madhira MLA Bhatti Vikramarka also expressed confidence over the official machinery, claimed the statement from KCR’s office.