CM KCR asks Dalits to end differences within community

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Monday emphasised the need to improve mutual trust and cooperation within the Dalit community. Accordingly, the Chief Minister suggested that the Dalits should end the personal differences and withdraw any police cases filed against each other.

Addressing the gathering of 427 Dalit representatives and resource persons along with elected representatives from the Huzurabad constituency at the Telangana Bhavan, Chandrashekhar Rao wanted them to develop mutual brotherhood for the collective development of the Dalit community. He expressed displeasure over the exclusion of the skilled and talented Dalits from the productive sector under the guise of untouchability. He stated that women too were restricted to unproductive sectors.

The Chief Minister pointed out that the State government had dismissed the policemen involved in the lockup death of Dalit woman Mariamma, from their jobs and stated that the government was ready to support the Dalits at all junctures. “When the government itself is in your favour, the Dalit community must persevere in self-development and achieve success. 

The delegates at today’s conference must work like the watchdogs and in coordination with the government agencies, we must lay a strong foundation for its success,” he added.

Chandrashekhar Rao promised to provide reservations for Dalits in allotments of liquor shops, rice mills, medical shops and fertiliser shops among others, to ensure their economic development. He directed the authorities to identify other sectors that have the potential for economic development and take steps to provide reservations for Dalits in them.

“Agricultural machinery such as power tillers, harvesters,



rice planters, auto-rickshaws, tractors, poultry, tent house, dairy industry, oil mill, flour mill, cement and brick industry, building material shops, steel cement, photography and videography, cell phone shops, mobile tiffin centres, hotels, cloth emporiums, furniture shops and other such wide range of self-employment, industrial and business sectors should be identified. The government will help them take up a business or profession of their choice under the scheme,” he said.

Under the scheme, the government will provide an identity card to the eligible beneficiaries. These ID cards will be embedded with an electronic chip along with a unique bar code specific to each beneficiary and also information pertaining to them. The government will constantly monitor the progress of each beneficiary and provide the necessary support to ensure that the latter continues on the growth path. 

Further, the government is keen to implement the Dalit Bima scheme for the beneficiaries of the Dalit Bandhu scheme on the lines of the Rythu Bima scheme. The Ministers and elected representatives from the Dalit community along with the SC Development department officials were instructed to design the scheme for its effective implementation.

In addition to the financial assistance provided through the Dalit Bandhu Scheme, a Security Fund will be established permanently with the participation of the government and the beneficiary. The fund will be managed by a committee of beneficiaries under the supervision of the respective district collectors. “By depositing a fixed amount every year, we will continue to maintain the Dalit Security Fund and utilise it to support the beneficiaries in dire circumstances,” he said.