KCR promises yet another sop \'Dalit Bima\'

HYDERABAD: After announcing the new scheme Dalit Bandhu on the lines of Rythu Bandhu recently, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Monday promised yet another new scheme ‘Dalit Bima’ on the lines of Rythu Bima, to provide Rs 5 lakh free insurance coverage to Dalit families.

The Chief Minister also promised to provide reservations to Dalits in allotment of businesses like liquor shops, rice mills, medical shops and fertiliser shops among others, to ensure their economic development.

Rao held a day-long orientation programme on Dalit Bandhu scheme at Pragathi Bhavan. About 430 Dalit leaders, two men and two women from each gram panchayat and each ward in municipality in Huzurabad constituency, were invited for the meeting.

Rao held an interactive session with Dalit participants and took their feedback on how to implement Dalita Bandhu scheme effectively on a pilot basis in Huzurabad Assembly constituency and how to extend the scheme to the entire state later.

The Chief Minister directed officials to identify other areas like agricultural machinery such as power tillers, harvesters, rice planters, auto-rickshaws, tractor, poultry, tent house, dairy industry, oil mill, flour mill, cement and brick industry, building material shops, steel, cement, photography and videography, cell phone repair shops, mobile tiffin centres, hotels, cloth emporiums, furniture shops, and a wide range of self-employment, industrial and business sectors, that had potential for economic development of Dalits.

"The government will provide financial assistance  of Rs 10 lakh to each of the eligible beneficiaries through the Dalit Bandhu scheme and help them take up a business or profession of their choice," Rao said.

He stated that Dalit Bandhu was not just another government scheme, but a movement for empowerment of the Dalits aimed at bringing a qualitative change in the society. He noted that the future of the Dalit Bandhu depended upon its success in Huzurabad constituency and hence, it was important that all the Dalit representatives from the constituency should work with commitment and coordination to ensure its success.

If the Dalit Bandhu programme was successful, it would pave the way for the economic development of not only Dalits, but also Telangana State, he said.
He stressed the need to improve mutual trust and cooperation within the Dalit community. The Chief Minister suggested that Dalits should end personal feuds and withdraw cases that they filed against each other in police stations across the state. He wanted them to develop mutual brotherhood that would pave the way to collective success of Dalit community.