Telangana: Dalit Bandhu in all 119 Assembly segments

Hyderabad: "Huzurabad byelection is a small event for us. Some people are nursing dreams in Eastman colour and feel that they would come to power in the next elections. All such people are in for disappointment as it is certain that the TRS would be back in power," said Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao while replying to a discussion on Dalit Bandhu scheme in the Assembly on Tuesday. Reiterating that people will continue to support the TRS since it was implementing many welfare programmes. Not just that, he said, who knows the TRS may play a key role in the formation of the government at the Centre after the next general election.

"Dalit Bandhu scheme was not brought in the wake of Huzurabad byelection. This is a small election for us," the CM said, adding that the scheme was to start a year ago but was delayed because of corona pandemic.

"We are No 1 State in the country now with 11.5 per cent growth. The TS government can expand the scheme to benefit at least 100 beneficiaries in each of the 119 Assembly constituencies by the end of this financial year," the CM said.

The scheme would be extended to all eligible in a phased manner. In the next budget, KCR said the government would allocate a minimum of Rs 20,000 crore, which would help implement the scheme in each constituency. This is a scheme which would not only uplift the weaker sections but also help the state earn revenue and provide employment to many. This, in fact, he said was a scheme which the Centre should emulate, he added.

The Chief Minister said that the scheme would be implemented in saturation mode in the entire Huzurabad and in four mandals selected across four corners of the State. "Dalits will also get reservations in the licenses like medical shops, wine shops, bars, fertilizer shops, etc.

By the next seven years, we are confident that the State will have revenue of Rs 10 lakh crore per annum, he added.