Etala challenges opposition for open debate on Dalit welfare

Hyderabad: Finance Minister Etala Rajender has challenged opposition parties for an open debate on the issue of welfare of Dalits in Telangana State.

Speaking to media persons here on Wednesday, Etala said that the TRS Government was ready for debate on the steps taken by the government for SC welfare and also the measures proposed to be implemented in future. He strongly condemned Congress party for calling TRS Government as anti-Dalit. He said while other parties misuse Dalits as vote bank, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao took practical steps for their empowerment.

Etala accused opposition parties of politicising the Manakondur incident wherein two Dalit youths attempted suicide citing State Government's failure to provide promised three acres of land. He said that the government has so far distributed 650 acres of land among Dalit families in Ellantakunta mandal of Manakondur. He said 60 acres of land in Gudem village has been procured for distribution. He said 48 beneficiaries were identified and land was to be distributed among 38 families in the first phase.

The minister said that youth were incited to attempt suicide and it was not against the State Government or TRS party. He said that the local VRO who allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs. 20,000 to allocate land has been suspended and the Siddipet Collector has been assigned the task to conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident.

Etala said that the previous regimes did not spend even Rs. 100 crore in 57 years for distribution of land among Dalits. But the present TRS Government has spent Rs. 475 crore to acquire 11,279 acres of land for Dalits. He said Rs. 800 crore have been earmarked for the purpose in 2017-18. He said each Dalit family is being given land worth Rs. 18 lakh which is a historic step.