Jangaon: Mini dairy to empower SCs

Jangaon: The State government's mini dairy pilot project could change the lives of scheduled castes (SCs), the Minister for Tourism and Excise V Srinivas Goud said. He along with the Minister for Panchayat Raj Errabelli Dayakar Rao distributed buffaloes worth Rs 6.04 crore to 151 beneficiaries belonging to Palakurthy and Devaruppula mandals at Palakurthy in Jangaon district on Friday. Each beneficiary would get four buffaloes (one unit) under the scheme. The beneficiaries will get 60 per cent subsidy.

The Ministers said that Vijaya Dairy would procure milk from the farmers by paying an additional amount of Rs 4 per litre. The income accrued by the farmers will be credited to their bank accounts and the loan amount would be deducted from the accounts of farmers. Errabelli said that each farmer could earn anywhere between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 per month.

Stating that the scheme was launched in 10 districts, he said that the government would provide the scheme benefits to 2,084 SC beneficiaries in the erstwhile Warangal district. He said that it was a huge opportunity for the SCs to empower themselves utilising the mini dairy pilot project.

Later, the Minister distributed cheques worth Rs 1.85 crore to 185 beneficiaries of Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak. They also distributed cheques worth Rs 10 lakh to the needy as financial assistance from Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Zilla Parishad chairman Pagala Sampath Reddy, District Collector K Nikhila and SC Corporation General Manager Anand Kumar were among others present.

In another programme at Bammera, the Ministers paid tribute to poet Bammera Pothana at his Samadhi (grave). Speaking on the occasion, Goud said that efforts were on to construct a modern auditorium, a gallery to showcase the books authored by the poet etc within six months.

Later, the Ministers launched renovation works of Swayam Bhu Shambhuni temple with an estimated cost of Rs 85 lakh at Fort Warangal.