Telangana Govt to spend Rs 17,700 crore for Dalit Bandhu this year

So far, the State government has released Rs.3,100 crore in 2021-22 and is spending another Rs.17,700 crore for implementation of the scheme across the State this year.

Hyderabad: For the socio economic empowerment of the Dalit community, the State government will be extending the Dalit Bandhu scheme to 2.82 lakh eligible beneficiaries during the 2022-23 financial year. Till November 20 this year, more than 31,000 eligible families have benefited from the scheme in the State.

So far, the State government has released Rs.3,100 crore in 2021-22 and is spending another Rs.17,700 crore for implementation of the scheme across the State this year. About 100 eligible persons each from 118 Assembly constituencies received a grant of Rs 10 lakh under the scheme in 2021-22.

Under the scheme, each eligible Dalit family will receive Rs 10 lakh as grant, without any bank linkage. The beneficiaries can utilise the amount to establish their own business or improve their livelihood opportunities. The Dalit Bandhu Rakshana Nidhi was also constituted with an equal contribution of Rs 10,000 each from the beneficiary and the State government, which will be utilised to support the beneficiary in case of any crisis.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had launched the Dalit Bandhu scheme in Huzurabad Assembly constituency of Karimnagar district in July last year on a pilot basis. As the scheme was taken up on a saturation basis, about 15,402 Dalit families benefited in Huzurabad constituency alone. While most of the beneficiaries purchased cabs, others choose a variety of livelihood opportunities including tractors, medical shops and fertiliser shops apart from dairy, food processing units and eateries among others.

Similarly, around 75 families benefited in Vasalamarri gram panchayat under the scheme which was also implemented in Madhira, Thungathurthy, Atchampet and Jukkal constituencies where 4,808 persons availed the scheme.

For effective implementation of the scheme, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had already instructed the officials to prepare an action plan. He wanted them to ensure that the Dalits reap the benefits of the scheme and march towards progress, ending decades of discrimination.