Majority SCs, STs not aware of their Constitutional rights: Chilakamarri Narsimha

Nalgonda: SC, ST Commission member Chilakamarri Narsimha said that the people's representatives and officials must have awareness on Constitutional Rights of SCs and STs and Atrocity Act.

He was the chief guest at the awareness seminar for public representatives and officials on prevention of attacks on SCs and STs at Udayaditya Bhavan, District Collector's Office on Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that even after 74 years of independence, attacks on SCs and STs have been taking place every day at one or the other place in the country and added that majority SC,STs do not have awareness on the laws provided to them. The awareness programmes are conducted in 33 districts across the State, he added.

He said peoples' representatives and officials should work hard to ensure that the funds and schemes spent by the government on SCs and STs must reach them.

The State government has set up Gurukul schools at a cost of Rs 1,40,000 per student to provide better education to SCs and STs, as well as to SCs and STs pursuing higher education abroad under the Ambedkar Overseas Education Fund. Rs 20 lakh tuition fees are being paid to students, Rs 80 lakh per lakh subsidy is being given to SCs and STs for self-employment units. SCs those consuming electricity within 101 units need not to pay electricity bills, he informed.

He directed officials concerned to address the issues that were brought to his notice by several local peoples representative who took part in the programme.

Nalgonda RDO Jagadishwar Reddy, Social Welfare Department DD Salma Banu, SC Corporation EPD Raj Kumar, District Tribal Welfare Officer Firangi, District Civil Relations Officer Srinivas, District Education Officer Bhikshapati, SPDCL SE Krishnayya and others were also present.