The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have progressed well as entrepreneurs if the statistics doled out at a workshop on ‘SC sub-plan and Tribal sub-plan’ are any indication.
The SC/ST entrepreneurs have increased phenomenally between 2004 and 2012. There were only 178 units owned by SCs in 2004; and 141 units by STs. The subsidies etc. were Rs. 4.11 crore for SCs and Rs.1.68 crore for STs in 2004. It, however, rose to Rs.103.40 crore for SCs and Rs.49.09 crore for STs between 2004 and 2012. The number of units set up by the SCs touched 1,464 and 811 units by the STs.
The Cabinet sub-committee elicited opinions and suggestions from people on SC/ST sub-plan here on Saturday. On the occasion, Major Industries Minister J. Geeta Reddy said the SCs and the STs were unable to reap the benefits of industrial policy. The government understood the lacunae and revised its industrial policy with a view to encouraging the SCs and STs to set up their units.
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The Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) was providing incentives to the SC/ST entrepreneurs as per the AP State Industrial Policy. As per the industrial policy, 16.2 per cent of the total plots to the SCs, and six per cent to the STs should be allotted in all the new industrial parks and preferential allotments should be considered for them in the existing industrial parks.
The Minister also said a subsidy of 33.3 per cent in land cost, subject to a maximum of Rs.10 lakh should be extended to the SC, ST entrepreneurs, she said.
Primary Education Minister S. Sailajanath also spoke .
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Deputy Chief Minister Damodara Rajanarasimha, Rural Development Minister Dokka Manikya Varaprasad, and Secondary Education Minister K. Parthasarathy were among those present.