Deputy Chief Minister K.E. Krishnamurthy paid tributes to B.R. Ambedkar on his 125th jayanthi on Thursday saying he waged a political and social fight for building a modern India.
The country has a strong social, economic and political foundation on account of the Indian Constitution drafted by Ambedkar with a foresight, Mr. Krishnamurthy said. He advocated equal rights and reservation for women.
Ambedkar noted that merely mugging up the subject books would serve no purpose and education should impart knowledge and wisdom.
The government was extending scholarships to students in order to give them an opportunity to have quality education, the Deputy Chief Minister said.
The government allocated Rs. 47.80 crore for extending pre-matric scholarships to 2.39 SC students studying from fifth to eighth standards. It allotted Rs. 115 crore for benefitting 1.38 lakh students of ninth standard and SSC and Rs. 1.08 crore for 434 SC students studying Intermediate with cent per cent Central funding.
There were 1,259 SC hostels, including 821 for boys and 434 for girls with 1.08 lakh inmates. The government sanctioned Rs. 14.30 crore for assistance of SCs and social security schemes. Ambedkar and Jagjivan Ram statues were installed.
Funds for coaching
A sum of Rs. 14 crore was sanctioned to impart civil services coaching to 700 students in five reputed institutions, Mr. Krishnamurthy said. SC Sub-Plan was allocated Rs. 8,724 crore for implementing various schemes through 48 departments, he added. Mr. Krishnamurthy cut a cake and administered a pledge to strive for uplift of SCs and STs. Kurnool MP Butta Renuka said the district administration kept its word by sanctioning Rs. 10 lakh for constructing Ambedkar Bhavan.
Nandikotkur MLA Aijaiah sought steps to check diversion of funds earmarked for SC, STs and fill SC, ST backlog posts.
Kurnool MLA S.V. Mohan Reddy said Ambedkar advocated education as a tool for development.
Commissioner of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Ramanjaneyulu said everyone should follow the path shown by Ambedkar. Assets were distributed to beneficiaries. SC, ST and BC leaders M. Balasundaram, T.P. Seelanna, K. Srinivasulu, Anantharatnam, Tyagaraju, V. Jyothi, Babu Raju, N. Srinivasulu, SC/ST Vigilance and Monitoring Committee members G. Srinivasulu and C. Salomi and students participated.
