Hyderabad: Industries minister K.T.Rama Rao on Thursday distributed cheques worth Rs 562 crore to 8,000 Dalit entrepreneurs towards industrial incentives under T-Pride scheme (Telangana State Programme for Rapid Incubation Dalit Entrepreneurs incentive scheme) for setting up their own units/ industries. He said the state government already distributed over Rs 2,700 crore industrial incentives to Dalit entrepreneurs in the last eight years and with the addition of Rs 562 crore, it increased to over Rs 3,200 crore.
Rama Rao took part in the celebrations of Dr B.R. Ambedkar's birth anniversary held by the industries department. He said the Dalit Bandhu scheme launched by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao in August 2021 has been facilitating economic empowerment of Dalits in Telangana state.
"Today, Telangana state is a reality because of the Constitution written by Dr B.R. Ambedkar. He incorporated Article 3 in the Constitution which gave power to Parliament to bifurcate existing states and form new states irrespective of approval of Legislative Assemblies of respective States. Telangana state owes its formation to the vision of Ambedkar," Rama Rao said.
Stating that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao initiated steps for the empowerment of Dalits when he was MLA of Siddipet four decades ago in 1980s, he said, "He launched the Dalita Jyothy initiative in 1980s to empower Dalits in Siddipet. He was pained that Dalits were subjected to humiliation and multiple challenges in society. He thought of implementing several schemes for the welfare and empowerment of Dalits since then. After he became the Chief Minister in 2014, he converted his ideas into implementation. He launched the T-Pride scheme for Dalit entrepreneurs, set up hundreds of residential schools for dalit children, and launched Rs 20 lakh overseas education scholarship scheme for Dalit students.
The Dalit Bandhu is a revolutionary scheme in the world which extends Rs 10 lakh grant to each Dalit household to set up their own unit and empower themselves socially and financially."
Rama Rao said the BRS government is extending all support to Dalit entrepreneurs. "Dalit entrepreneurs should achieve new heights and hoist Telangana’s flag high at the national level with their innovation," he said.
He added that the state government is ready to provide more industrial incentives and set up industrial parks for the benefit of Dalit entrepreneurs.
