Delay in Dalit Bandhu: Beneficiaries protest at Karimnagar collectorate

Dalit Bandhu beneficiaries from Huzurabad constituency, who have been repeatedly making rounds to government offices for the second installment of the financial assistance under the scheme, staged the huge protest as the Prajavani programme, the public grievances programme held every Monday, was on at the Collectorate.

Karimnagar: Mild tension prevailed at the Collectorate on Monday when Dalit Bandhu beneficiaries staged a protest demanding the release of the second installment of the Dalit Bandhu assistance due to them.

There was jostling between the beneficiaries and the police when the latter prevented the entry of the agitators into the Collectorate. Police then arrested them and shifted them to the Police Training College.

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Dalit Bandhu beneficiaries from Huzurabad constituency, who have been repeatedly making rounds to government offices for the second installment of the financial assistance under the scheme, staged the huge protest as the Prajavani programme, the public grievances programme held every Monday, was on at the Collectorate.

They had earlier shared information on the protest on WhatsApp groups and had decided to enter the Collectorate on the pretext submitting representations at the Prajavani programme. However, as the information was leaked, the police got alert and closed the main entrance gate of the Collectorate and denied the entry for people with Dalit Bandhu applications. Enraged over this, they staged a protest at the gate.

Instead of arriving together, about 700 beneficiaries came to the Collectorate in separate groups and staged the protest. Vehicular traffic on the Collectorate-Bhagathnagar road came to a standstill for a while as the beneficiaries staged a rasta roko.

They said they were making rounds to government offices for the last few months, but the district administration was least bothered about their problems. In the first phase of the Dalit Bandhu scheme, a number of beneficiaries were sanctioned Rs.5 lakh of the total of Rs.10 lakh to establish various units and were assured of being given the remaining amount in the second installment.

The release of the second installment was first delayed for three months, allegedly due to negligence of SC Corporation officials. It was further delayed with the announcement of the Model Code of Conduct before the Assembly polls last year.

Beneficiaries, who established units with the first installment, were thus facing difficulty to operate the units. Various business establishments such as provision stores, mini supermarkets, welding shops and other units were established by hiring commercial space.

However, they were unable to pay even the rent due to lack of adequate business. Though they established the units, it would take time for the business to pick up, they said, explaining why the second installment of Rs.5 lakh had to be released.