Khammam: The Chief Minister, K Chandrashekhar Rao took a historic step by introducing ‘CM Dalit Empowerment Scheme’ to alleviate poverty among dalits in the State, stated Transport Minister, Puvvada Ajay Kumar.
He said the government allotted a budget of Rs 1000 crore for the scheme. In the first phase 100 families with poor financial background, in each Assembly segment, would be offered a financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to take up self-employment projects.
Ajay Kumar along with Rythu Bandhu Samithi State Convener, MLC, Palla Rajeshwar Reddy took part in a round-table conference organised here on Thursday on CM Dalit Empowerment Scheme.
The scheme requires Rs 1200 crore for assisting as many as 11900 families in 119 Assembly segments. It was planned to allot Rs 200 in addition to Rs 1000 crore made available in the budget to implement the scheme, he explained.
In the coming four to five years the government envisages to spend around Rs 45000 crore on the schemes’ implementation and to help poor dalits to achieve financial freedom. The meeting was held to solicit advices and suggestions from the dalit leaders, organisations and public representatives, Ajay Kumar noted.
Rajeshwar Reddy said that Telangana was ahead of all other States in the country in the implementation of welfare programmes catering to the needs of different sections in the society.
The government has embarked on ‘CM Dalit Empowerment Scheme’ on pilot basis to promote entrepreneurship among poor dalits, especially the youth, in rural and urban areas. The dalit youth would be encouraged to establish small scale industries.
ZP Chairman, L Kamalraj said the Chief Minister introduced the scheme to enable dalits to live with self-respect. Everyone concerned should make efforts to take the scheme to dalit families without any political considerations.
District Collector, RV Karnan explained about the welfare schemes being implemented in the district for dalits. As per 2011 census, Scheduled Castes constitute 20 per cent of the total population.