Each Dalit family in Andhra Pradesh should be given at least two acres of land, Andhra Pradesh Dalit Maha Sabha general secretary Kathi Padma Rao has said.
At a press conference here on Saturday, he said the organisation would launch an agitation to bring pressure on the State government to purchase lands for the Dalits and allocate Rs.10,000 crore for the purpose. Mr. Padma Rao said if two acres of land was given to each Dalit family, it would cost the government Rs.10,000 crore.
Taking a serious note of diversion of funds from the SC and ST budgetary allocations over the years, he said the APDMS would demand reallocation of Rs.27,000 crore so far diverted.
He found fault with the Chief Minister for diverting Rs.10 crore in the recent past from the SC and ST funds, even after the Assembly passing the SC, ST sub-plan, he said.
The APDMS would also fight for smaller States as that would give them their due share in the political power system. Dalits in the State were in favour of formation of Andhra and Telangana, he opined, and demanded that the Centre accept the popular demand.
The maha sabha had represented the same to the Justice Sri Krishna Committee and wanted Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to look into the representation, he added.
27th maha sabha
Vijayawada will host the 27 Dalit Maha Sabha in April. Mr. Padma Rao also addressed the general body meeting of the APDMS. President of APDMS Chintapalli Guruprasad, senior leaders Nandeti Prabhakar, T. Krishna, and A. Joshua were present.
