Khammam: Two-day survey underway in Sathupalli, Bonakal

Khammam: In a significant move aimed at uplifting the marginalised Dalit communities, District Collector VP Gautham, on Friday, announced the initiation of a two-day survey ahead of authorising grounding units as part of the ‘Dalit Bandhu’ scheme in Sathupalli Constituency and Bonakal Mandal. This initiative follows the issuance of Government Order 16 on September 30, that greenlit the provision of financial aid to Dalit families in these regions.

The district official revealed that the comprehensive survey process will be completed within the next two days, marking the first step towards disbursing aid to eligible beneficiaries. Under this scheme, a total of 30,065 Dalit families will receive a substantial sum of Rs 10 lakhs each, amounting to a grand total of Rs 3,006.50 crores.

Sharing details of the survey, Gautham informed, “In a bid to efficiently administer the programme, Sathupalli Constituency and Bonakal Mandal have been divided into 35 clusters.

For each one, a dedicated district officer has been appointed as a special officer, with senior officers overseeing the mandal level operations.”

“In Satthupalli constituency there are 77,455 SC population with 25,143 families. Whereas Bonakalmandal has 14,567 SC population with 4,922 SC families,” he said.

The Collector emphasised the importance of wisely selecting suitable units for economic development. He highlighted the success of the pilot project in Chintakani Mandal, where 3,642 Dalit families were provided Rs 10 lakhs per unit, totaling an impressive Rs 412.50 crores in financial assistance.

The District Collector urged beneficiaries to make informed choices in unit selection and emphasised the need for efficient management by family members to maximise the scheme’s impact. He stressed that the government’s objective is to enable Dalits to achieve economic prosperity and enhance their social status.

Furthermore, he underscored the government’s commitment to eradicating economic and social discrimination faced by Dalits and reiterated the intent to guide them towards development across all sectors.

“The Dalit Bandu scheme stands as a testament to the government’s dedication to ensuring the dignity and well-being of Dalits in society,” he said.