HYDERABAD: Eyeing a bigger role in national politics and champion the cause of Dalits in the country, Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday announced a Rs 35,000 crore to Rs 40,000 crore empowerment package over four years in Telangana on Sunday.
Addressing a rare all-party meeting, KCR said Dalits were oppressed and exploited section from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in the country, and governments across India must play a major role in stopping this.
“Any negligence would ruin the future generations and the rulers will be responsible for it, so let us look after them,” he said.
Announcing various measures, including a direct benefit transfer (DBT) for Dalits, KCR called for a combined action for their upliftment, in addition to existing funds allocated for SC development.
A new scheme in the name of Chief Minister Dalit Empowerment Scheme (CMDES) will provide Rs 10 lakh for 100 families each in 119 assembly segments as self-support scheme.
For the proposed scheme, following the DBT model in Rythu Bandhu for farmers, Rs 1,200 crore will be spent.
“The government has decided to work religiously for Dalit empowerment like it did in irrigation and agriculture sectors.
We will examine the possibility of providing reservation for Dalit youth in granting licenses for business management and self-supporting schemes,” he said.
The government is also considering relaxation in income ceiling for eligibility in the scheme of oversees education scholarship for the Dalit students.
“To empower the youth, art and culture forms should be utilised in the media,” KCR told officials.
The chief minister also directed officials to conduct a census on agriculture land available with Dalit society in the state.
There are 7.76 lakh SC farmers in the state owning 13,58,000 acres.
“How much is remaining with them and how much is gone, should be calculated and resources of the land parcels also should be estimated.
If needed entire administration should focus on this only for 15 days and report should be submitted,” he told officials.
Agreeing to the suggestion of the leaders in the meeting, he also agreed to consider fixed and safe payment of salaries with Pay Revision facility for the safai workers.
During the meeting, which lasted for more than 11 hours in Pragati Bhavan, the CM sought suggestions from all the political parties on the action needed to be taken to empower the Dalit community and instil confidence in them to progress.
Congress Legislative Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, BJP leader Mothkupalli Narsimhulu, CPM State secretary Thammineni Veerabhadram, CPI State secretary Chada Venkata Reddy, MIM MLA Syed Ahmed Pasha Qadri, Telangana SC Development minister Koppula Eeshwar, state SC and ST Commission chairman Errolla Srinivas, along with SC legislators, participated in the meeting.