KTR pitches for policy to transform dalits, tribals as entrepreneurs in Telangana

Hyderabad: Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao on Wednesday asked the officials to formulate a best policy to make dalits and tribals as industrialists.

The Minister along with Social Welfare Minister K Eshwar and Tribal Affairs Minister Satyavati Rathod had a review meeting with secretaries of various departments at SC, ST Commission office on Wednesday. After inaugurating a new conference hall, website in the commission office, Rama Rao said that only by strengthening the financial conditions of these communities, eradication of caste system was possible in the country. To achieve this, the government needs to introduce schemes and policies to encourage young SC, ST entrepreneurs.

The Minister said that the government had already assisted about 36,000 SC, ST youth through T-Pride. In the meeting, a total of Rs 100 crore subsidy amount from the industries department was released to help 2,000 beneficiaries from the communities. The Ministers handed over the cheques to beneficiaries. Rama Rao said that government plans to uplift and stand by the weaker sections by providing education, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities.

He instructed the officials to come up with the best policies to encourage SC, ST entrepreneurs. The officials were also asked to study the policies being implemented in various other States. He said that a meeting would be held soon called to discuss the drafting of the innovative policies for the uplift of SC, ST communities. Minister said that these plans would be placed before the Chief Minister for approval. He also asked the officials to take up awareness programmes in rural areas and educate the rural youth with the present policies and schemes.

The Municipal Administration Minister appreciated the SC, ST Commission for its efforts since its inception. Minister Koppula Eshwar said that the Commission has resolved 92 per cent of the received cases and has actively toured districts and supported the people whenever they needed assistance. Satyavathi Rathod said that the Chief Minister ST Entrepreneurship scheme was playing a key role in providing assistance and transforming ST youth into entrepreneurs.

Commission Chairman E Srinivas said that the earlier governments never cared for the SC, ST Commission before the State's formation. But the Telangana government has set up an office with complete infrastructure, he said.

A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between WE-Hub and Tribal Welfare department in the presence of Ministers to ground and scale tribal women-led enterprises. As per the MoU, Tribal Cooperative Finance Corporation Limited (TRICOR) and WE-Hub would set up three pre-incubation centres in the Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDA) regions of Telangana. The Ministers handed over the Rs 100 crore bank guarantee documents to the Telangana SC, ST Commission granted by National Scheduled Caste Finance Development Corporation.