Kula Vivaksha Vyathireka Porata Samiti (KVPS) has demanded that the government allocate grants in the budget in proportionate to the population of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Speaking at a meeting on development of dalitwadas in the State here on Sunday evening, KVPS State general secretary John Wesley said though SCs constitute 16 per cent and STs 6 per cent of the population, allocations were not being made accordingly. Out of the meagre allocations, SC/ST grants were being diverted to other sectors, he alleged, and demanded constitution of a nodal agency for utilising grants properly. He said that the KVPS would launch a survey of dalit colonies across the State from Monday to March 13. Cycle rallies would be taken out from March 14.
Former MLA (CPI-M) and A.P State Girijan Sangham president Kolaka Lakshmana Murty, while making a similar demand, called upon SC/STs to prepare for protest demonstrations in the near future to assert their rights.
He said that the government was not allocating more than 2 per cent in the budget for STs.
Vyavasaya Karmika Sangham general secretary Reddy Srirama Murty, Postal Employees' Union secretary Bhoja Raju and others were present.
