Dalits greet officials with pomp

Dalit community members decorated their colonies and houses and beat drums to welcome officials, who started a household survey on Friday for implementation of the Dalit Bandhu scheme, as a pilot project in Huzurabad constituency. Data shows

20,929 Dalit families live in the constituency. Each family would get

`10 lakh under the Dalit

Bandhu scheme launched by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao at an event held in Shalapally village of Jammikunta mandal on August 16. The constituency is set for a bypoll soon. The district administration had given training to the staff in doing the survey and selection of beneficiaries under the scheme. Some 350 government staff participated in the survey, each covering 30 to 50 houses a day. The officials also conducted a grama sabha and received objections from the people as advised by collector Karnan. SC Corporation chairman Banda Srinivas along with Ward 13 councillor Kondra Naresh gave a milk bath (abhishekam) to the flexi of Chief Minister for introducing the Dalit Bandhu scheme in Indiranagar and gave a warm welcome to the officials. Srinivas said the scheme was started by the CM to improve the lives of the Dalits. “Selecting the Huzurabad constituency under this pilot project is a gift given by the CM to the Dalits here.”

Revenue divisional officer Ravinder Rao said officials from the revenue department and from various banks are participating in the survey. The survey will be completed by September 3.