Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday has passed an order for the implementation of the Dalita Bandhu scheme in Vasalamarri. The state government released Rs 7.60 crore to the District Collector for the implementation of Dalita Bandhu scheme. The amount was transferred to District Collector Pamela Satpathy’s account.

Under the Dalita Bandhu scheme, financial aid of Rs. 10 lakhs will be deposited directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries. There is no need to repay the money given under this scheme to the government. The beneficiaries can set up any business of their choice. The Telangana Scheduled Castes Co-operative Development Corporation has made some suggestions regarding the units that are going to be set up by Dalits who have taken the amount under the Dalita Bandhu scheme. TSCCDC also developed the lists of various units that are in demand and is going to create awareness on various issues.

Special committees have been set up for the effective implementation of the Dalita Bandhu scheme. At the district level, the committee will be chaired by the Collector. The committee consists of additional collectors (Revenue), ZP CEO, selected officers from the DRDA / Agriculture / Animal Husbandry / Transport / Industry, Municipal Commissioners, SC Corporation ED, and two other members nominated by the Collector. At the Mandal level, there will be two other nominated members along with officials from MPDO, Tehsildar, Agriculture, and Animal Husbandry departments. At the village level, the committee consists of the Panchayat Secretary, Agricultural Extension Officer, Village Revenue Officer, and two other nominated members.

The officials in the committees play a prominent role in the implementation of the Dalita Bandhu scheme. These committees conduct awareness programs, save the names of eligible families in the database, distribute documents from the District Collector to the beneficiaries, issuance of ID cards with QR codes, inspection of the units, insurance coverage, etc. Mandal and village committees hold monthly meetings with the beneficiaries and discuss the problems being faced by the beneficiaries and will help them with solutions.

The government is setting up a Dalit security fund at the district level for the protection of the beneficiaries of the Dalita Bandhu Scheme. It will be looked after by the committee chaired by the Collector. The committee consists of SC Corporation ED and the General Manager of the Department of Industries. From the Rs. 10 lakh that have been sanctioned to Dalits, Rs. 10K will be deposited in the Dalit security fund. In addition, the beneficiaries are required to contribute Rs. 1,000 per annum to the fund.