Skilled SCs must turn entrepreneurs: Collector

Gadwal: For improving the economic conditions of Scheduled Castes, District Collector Rajat Kumar Saini called upon educated, skilled and qualified entrepreneurs to establish industries and make use of the various schemes offered by the State and Central governments for the uplift of the SC community by providing suitable employment opportunities in the district. 

While speaking at an awareness programme organised by the Scheduled Caste Seva Cooperative Society at Balabhavan in the district on Friday, the District Collector said, “The State government is implementing various schemes for the development of SC community in the district. The SC community people can set up their own industries in accordance with their qualification, experience and expertise in their field of interest, for which the State government will provide subsidised funds. 

Interested people can set up small and medium scale industries, services, business, and rear cows. They can also avail subsidised loans on buffalos, sheep and for taking up service providing programmes like Safai Karmachari helpers. For those who are having plantations, the government will provide skill training and also give them necessary financial assistance,” said the Collector. 

While enumerating various initiatives taken up by the district administration in last year for the uplift of SC community in the district, the Collector said as many as 800 units have been grounded by SC Corporation. For the next two years, the Collector said they have set up a target of grounding 2,000 units. Saini said that as part of government’s programme to give 3 acres of land to the land less poor SC communities, the district administration is in the process of identifying suitable beneficiary as per the norms set and will hand over the land with all kinds of development with 100 per cent subsidy. 

However, for availing other schemes, the government will provide bank loans of which a certain per cent will be borne by the government as subsidy while the remaining funds will have to be paid by the beneficiary.  “Not just Dalits and SC community people, we have also plans to provide loans to BC communities through Backward Caste Corporation (BC Corporation) and necessary steps are being taken to this effect,” informed the Collector. 

Similarly, the Collector also advised the SC communities to utilise ‘Mudra loans’ offered by the Central government.  The Collector said that Gadwal was aptly placed in between the Krishna and Tungabhadra river banks and was leading in agriculture production. 

Therefore, the people should focus on setting up agriculture related industries for getting good financial returns. “Food processing industries are very good option for the people to gain better returns and can achieve better development as all the resources are available right here in the district,” observed the Collector.