HYDERABAD: Sarpanches are demanding that the Rs 10 lakh per family Dalit Bandhu scheme should be implemented through gram panchayats.
At a meeting with Nalonda MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Monday, many of the sarpanches of Huzurnagar and other Assembly constituencies in Suryapet district said gram sabhas should be held in which the names of Dalit Bandhu and Girijan Bandhu beneficiaries should be finalised.
Later, Uttam said there are allegations that ruling TRS leaders are demanding commission from the beneficiaries of Dalit Bandhu scheme, which provides one-time capital assistance of Rs.10 lakhs per SC family as a 100% grant to establish suitable income-generating self-employment units without bank loan linkage.
The ruling TRS should come clear whether even the TRS MLAs, MPs, MLCs and other big leaders are involved in this “dalit bandhu commission scam.” The poor SC families are being forced to pay the commission, he alleged.
“The scheme is financially empowering the TRS leaders rather than helping the Dalit families. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao should seriously look into the allegations to ensure that the objective of economic empowerment of Dalits is not marred by commission irregularities in the scheme,” he demanded.
Most of the sarpanches, during the meeting, complained of harassment and discrimination by the TRS government. The Sarpanches, MPPs, MPTCs, ZPTCs, ZP Chairperson, municipal councillors and corporators are not happy with the ruling TRS leaders and the government as they are not being given respect and adequate funds.
Interference by the TRS leaders in the functioning of gram panchayats and some of the TRS MLAs adopting a dictatorial attitude has left the sarpanches powerless. The situation is worse for the Sarpanches from Congress and other opposition parties as they are being threatened.
Uttam the development of villages and rural areas is not possible without allowing the gram panchayats and sarpanches independently. The TRS government should restore the powers of sarpanches and also involve the gram panchayats in the implementation of all the welfare schemes.
