The chief minister Mr K Chandrasekhar Rao has announced that as many as 40,000 families will get the benefit from Dalitha Bandhu this year without any conditions.
The State government had set up a Dalitha Rakshana Nidhi with Rs 4,000 crore.
Stating that it was the Telangana state that is concerned about Dalits’ welfare, he said this year a total of two lakh families are getting the benefit from the scheme including this 40,000 families.
He said the Dalits were in the forefront of separate Telangana struggle and their contribution cannot be ignored. Many from Dalit families became MLAs and MPs after state formation – for instance, Balka Suman, G Kishore, Dayakar among others.
When the state government launched the Rythu Bandhu scheme, several from the Dalit community approached me and asked for an exclusive scheme to empower the community. Since many Dalits do not have land and any kind of support to subsist, this Dalitha Bandhu scheme was conceived. Unlike in the past, now there are no conditions or subsidies or bank links. Each family will directly get Rs 10 lakh cash to start their own enterprise of their choice. The state government officials would guide them and ensure that they succeed in their efforts.
The state government wishes that each beneficiary will double their assets in one year.
Mr KCR has asked the local MLAs and MPs to see that the scheme is successfully implemented in their respective constituencies and there is a smile on the face of every beneficiary.
With a target of benefitting two lakh families every year, the state government will extend the benefit to all Dalit families in the state, the chief minister said.
By Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao