Vice-Chairman of the State Planning Board B. Vinod Kumar has stated that the Dalit Bandhu scheme was not new but was announced on the floor of the Assembly by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao during the Budget session that allocated ₹1,000 crore for the purpose.
It was conceptualised more than six months ago and the strategy and its implementation were being worked out for the last few weeks, Mr. Vinod Kumar said here on Sunday, speaking at an awareness meeting for artistes of the Samskrutika Sarathi programme. He mentioned that the scheme was designed for comprehensive economic and social upliftment of Dalits.
Responding to the Opposition criticism that it was announced keeping in mind the impending by-election to Huzurabad Assembly seat, Mr. Vinod Kumar said it was announced as Dalit Empowerment during the Budget session but had taken time to take it forward towards implementation due to the COVID crisis.
Huzurabad was chosen for launching the scheme on a pilot basis as the Chief Minister has a special affection for Karimnagar district, from where he had launched the Rythu Bandhu scheme in the past. He stated that there was no scope for any politics in the scheme and everyone should look for the merits.
Chairman of Samskrutika Sarathi and MLA Rasamayi Balakishan, MLC and poet Goreti Venkanna, director of Cultural Affairs Mamidi Harikrishna and others participated in the meeting.
