HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, on Friday, said that the government, depending on its financial situation, would provide monetary assistance to around 2 lakh to 4 lakh SC families every year, under the Dalit Bandhu scheme.
This means that the government would spend Rs 20,000 crore to Rs 40,000 crore for the scheme, annually. In response to the Opposition’s claim that the scheme is merely an election sop, the Chief Minister remarked, “Why are you (the Opposition) so scared of Dalit Bandhu? Can anyone stop it? No, not at any cost.” Rao was addressing TRS workers after inducting former minister E Peddi Reddy (BJP), Swargam Ravi (Congress) and 31 others into the party on Friday.
Peddi Reddy, who was a Minister in the then N Chandrababu Naidu Cabinet, first defected to Praja Rajyam and then to the BJP. After former Minister E Rajender was admitted into the BJP, he jumped ship and joined the TRS. Swargam Ravi, meanwhile, has eyes on the TRS ticket for the Huzurabad bypoll.
‘SC scheme a Maha Yagnam’
The Chief Minister said that Telangana was a rich State and on top of the list, as far as GSDP and per capita incomes were concerned. “We are in the process of creating wealth and distributing it to the needy,” he said and pointed out that as per the latest surveys, SCs made up 19 per cent of the State’s population and that the government would require more funds for the scheme. “That is why I have already announced that Rs 1 lakh crore would be spent for the scheme,” he said.
Rao said that the implementation of Dalit Bandhu was delayed by one year due to Covid-19. Terming the scheme a ‘Maha Yagnam’ or a big movement, the Chief Minister said that he was not lying when he said that he would implement the scheme across the State. “When a State government with a human face implements schemes, it would not take into account the caste, religion or race of the people,” he said.
STATE CABINET TO MEET ON AUGUST 1
The State Cabinet will meet at 2 pm on August 1 (Sunday) at Pragathi Bhavan, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. The Cabinet is likely to discuss and give its consent for the Dalit Bandhu programme, which will be implemented in Huzurabad Assembly segment on a pilot basis.
Besides this, the Cabinet is likely to discuss irrigation, agriculture and other subjects. The recent gazette notification of the Jal Shakti Ministry may also be discussed by the Cabinet, in addition to Covid-19 management