The prestigious Dalitha Bandhu programme was launched by chief minister Mr K Chandrasekhar Rao last August and a total of 17,554 SCs were selected in Huzurabad constituency.
SC welfare minister Mr Koppula Eswar said a total of 2,500 beneficiaries were selected in Vasalamarri, Madhira, Jukkal, Thungathurthi and Achampeta. Now in 118 Assembly constituencies, 31,926 beneficiaries will be selected at the rate of 100 each in each constituency taking the total beneficiaries to 32,000 SC families.
The minister said Mr KCR conceived the programme long ago while he was MLA three decades back. He then called it Dalitha Jyothi and empowered many SC families in his constituency.
First priority would be given to the poorest of the poor and below the poverty line families and selection would be made transparently without giving any room for criticism.
Mr Eswar said a total of Rs 3,449.40 crore was required for the first phase and the chief minister had already released Rs 2,257.60 crore and is ready to release another Rs 1191.80 crore shortly.
As part of the programme, as many as 50 projects were identified that envisage helping the beneficiaries. However, freehand is given to respective district collectors to go by the local conditions and interests of beneficiaries.
“The district machinery will keep a tab on the progress of beneficiary and will guide from time to time,” minister Mr Eswar said.
According to him, the chief minister Mr KCR had many brainstorming sessions with a cross-section of people – academics, SCs, public representatives and other intellectuals before announcing the Dalitha Bandhu programme officially.
By Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao