COMMERCIAL TAXES FUND DALIT SOP, LOAN WAIVERS

Higher commercial tax collections have helped the cash-starved state government implement the Dalit Bandhu and crop loan waiver schemes in August, according to officials. This despite a lockdown of varying durations during the period. Commercial taxes contributed `19,527 crore in the first four months of this fiscal (April-July,

2021-22) of which `6,710 crore was earned in July alone. This allowed the government to mobilise

`2,000 crore each for the for long-pending crop loan waiver and Dalit Bandhu this month.

Money that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is “distributing to people” does not belong to him or his family members, BJP leader Etala Rajendar underlined on Saturday.

“The money TRS is giving people belongs to the public. Take whatever they give, but vote for me,” Rajendar told about 500 people at a meeting in Kothapally village after they joined BJP in his presence at Jammikunta within Huzurabad constituency.

“The government is giving pension to persons who have crossed 57 years because of my resignation. For the same reason, it is giving Sadaram certificates to disabled persons by conducting special camps in schools. All these may not have been possible had I not resigned from TRS. People should remember this,” the former minister declared.

He wondered why the state government is not giving jobs to educated youth. In absence of jobs, it had promised them unemployment dole of `3,016 in run up to 2018 assembly elections. “Sanctioning `10 lakh to poor Dalit families is a welcoming move. But what about poor families belonging to five communities of Vishwa Brahamins; why is the government discriminating against them,” he asked.

Rajendar maintained that if the CM really wants to uplift weaker sections, he must sanction `10 lakh to every poor family present across the state before the Huzurabad by-poll.

He pointed out that TRS leaders who have come as in-charge of various mandals prior to the by-election are surprised to see the enormous development that has taken place in Huzurabad constituency. “When I was the minister, I conducted a meeting with bankers and arranged 500 sewing machines for single women. Before I could get the sewing machines for remaining single women, all this had happened,” he stated.

The former minister underlined that there are several schemes of the central government, which he would implement in Huzurabad to ensure that women and others benefit from them.

BJP Huzurabad election in-charge and former MP Jithendar Reddy, mandal president Sampath Rao, former MLAs Dharma Rao and Bodiga Shoba, former ZP chairperson Tula Uma and Etala Jamuna were among those present at the meeting.