HYDERABAD: Stating that the SCs have less landholdings than STs in the State, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday stressed the need to implement Dalit Bandhu for their benefit.While stating that there is a need to increase the reservations for SCs, he recalled that the State Legislative Assembly adopted a resolution and sent the same to the Centre for increasing the SC reservations.He, however, there was no need to lead a delegation to the Centre on the issue.
“The BJP leaders should take up the matter with the Centre. If they succeeded, we will extend a grand welcome to the BJP leaders,” he said while adding that there were poor people in all castes and promised to plan a Dalit Bandhu-like scheme for Muslims too.
Caste census
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister demanded that the Central government should take up caste census as statistics were essential for implementing any scheme and vowed to adopt a resolution urging the Centre to take up the census. He also found fault with the Centre for filing an affidavit in the Supreme Court, stating that the it would not take up caste census.
70,000 jobs to be filled
The Chief Minister also said that the State government so far issued notifications to fill up 1.51 lakh jobs and filled up 1.31 lakh vacancies. “Once the new zonal system is settled down, we may start issuing notifications in one or two months time. Around 70,000 to 80,000 vacancies in government sector will be filled,” he said, adding that as per the new zonal system, locals would get 95 per cent jobs.
Solution to podu lands issue
The CM said the podu lands issue would be resolved. “The government can take claims from tribals and hand over the land to them. For some lands, the State might have to contact the Centre. But the taking of claims will start in the third week of October. I request all MLAs to be involved in the process and see that the claims are submitted by tribals,” he said. However, Congress MLA Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka wanted the State government to to enact Dalit Bandhu Act for the effective implementation of the scheme.