Dalit Bandhu: Making dreams comes true

Here are some inspiring stories of how the scheme has turned the fortunes around of many Dalit families

Hanamkonda: Though he wanted to become a cinematographer at the age of 17, he could not join the film industry due to different reasons, one of them being financial constraints.

But his passion for videography and photography prompted Bandela Rajendra Prasad alias Shane to follow that path. At the initial stage of his career, Prasad worked as a light boy in a studio. But now, he is an entrepreneur, providing employment to a couple of photographers, apart from having a studio of his own, thanks to the State government’s Dalit Bandhu scheme aimed at transforming lives of the downtrodden Dalits in Telangana.

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“I started my career as a light boy and used to draw a meager salary. Now, I earn at least Rs1 lakh a month as I was sanctioned a unit under Dalit Bandhu,” says Prasad, who is a part-time journalist.

With the help of the Dalit Bandhu assistance, 44-year-old Prasad bought high-end video and drone cameras and other equipment. With his creative skills, he now does various events, apart from renting out cameras for which he charges Rs 2,000-3,500 per day for a camera. Prasad plans to expand his business and create more employment.

A native of Dargah Kazipet village in Hanamkonda district, he was sanctioned a unit under the Dalit Bandhu scheme last May. He received Rs 9.9 lakh from the total Rs 10 lakh, excluding Rs 10,000 for the security fund called Dalit Rakshana Nidhi.

“I was selected for the scheme as a beneficiary in a hassle-free and transparent manner. The government deposited Rs 7.4 lakh as the first installment and Rs 2.5 lakh as the second installment into my bank account. Following this, I purchased a drone camera, a professional camera, a video camera and other equipment,” he says, adding that Dalit Bandhu has not only improved his income but has also helped him lead a respectable life.

Kanukurthi Narender, a graduate who used to work as a data-entry operator, is another example of how the novel scheme has changed his life. “I used to earn Rs 10,000 a month as a computer operator, but thanks to Dalit Bandhu, I now own a footwear shop in Mahabubabad town and earn around Rs 40,000 per month by selling footwear,” Narender says.

Sangi Narsaiah, a resident of Banjara village in Devaruppula mandal, Jangaon district, used to work in a garments shop before setting up one of his own — Fashion Hub at Jangaon. He was among 15 people from the village to be sanctioned the units against the total of 25 eligible candidates.

Three youths of Uppal village — Anil Kumar M, Krishna M and Satish Kumar M — were sanctioned three units, which they combined into a single book agency and provided employment to several marketing executives, besides earning Rs 80,000 a month, according to the SC Corporation officials.