Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao today asked district collectors to work hard to ensure that dalits are lifted out of poverty and that their living conditions are improved.
Addressing a meeting of collectors from ten districts of Telangana here, KCR also announced the launch of a special scheduled caste development programme involving ministers, MPs and MLAs on August 15 on a pilot basis.
“Even after 65 years of independence, there has not been a considerable progress and the dalits still remained as the poorest of the poor and the government has to think as to what is to be done at the state level first and go to district level to improve their living conditions,” KCR said.
The meeting was also attended by Finance Minister E Rajender and several senior officials, a state government release said.
“A special scheduled caste development programme would be launched on August 15 this year in one identified village in one mandal in every district on a pilot basis by involving ministers, MPs and MLAs. The chief minister will launch the programme in Karimnagar district,” the release said.
KCR said in the coming five years there has to be a remarkable change towards improving living conditions of dalits.
The funds that were allotted for SC welfare on the basis of percentage of population at the rate of 15.4 per cent were never spent as allocated, the release quoted the chief minister as saying.
According to the release, KCR suggested that henceforth 15.4 per cent of the total budgetary allotment will exclusively be spent for the development of SCs and the social welfare department will be renamed as SC development department.
“When budget is allocated on 15.4 per cent basis, on an average each district is likely to get about Rs 600 crore and to this amount if the government of India funds are added there will be adequate funds for SC development. In the coming five years, the funds for each district may touch even Rs 4000 crore,” the release said.
The chief minister also asked the collectors to design such a programme that would benefit the dalits.
“He also asked them to come up with ideas and frame broader guidelines specific to their districts,” the release said.
