Dalit Empowerment as KCR sees it
Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao
The
Pioneer (01-07-2021)
Empowerment is the degree of autonomy
and self-determination in people and in communities, enabling them to represent
their interests in a responsible and self-determined way, acting on their own
authority. It is the process of becoming stronger and more confident,
especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights. Empowerment as
action refers both to the process of self-empowerment and to professional
support of people, which enables them to overcome their sense of powerlessness
and lack of influence, and to recognize and use their resources.
Rural and urban as well as Dalit
livelihoods are enhanced through effective participation of people and communities
in the management of their own social, economic and environmental objectives by
empowering people, particularly Dalit. Empowerment hinges broadly on three
pillars, which when put together, can work wonders, namely, community
empowerment, partnerships, and holistic development.
In this context and background, during
this week, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has embarked on yet another
innovative but extraordinary initiative to empower several sections of people,
from those living in rural areas to strengthen the rural economy, those living
in the urban areas and lastly but not the least, the Dalits living all over the
state to live with dignity, self-respect and to become self-sufficient
economically forever.
CM KCR’s innovative schemes especially
the Dalit Empowerment Policy in the presence of Dalit leaders cutting across
the party lines, MPs, MLAs, MLCs and other stake holders was welcomed by all of
them including the politically opposing parties from the Congress to BJP. This
has once again proved his unquestionable commitment towards all sections of people
and his dedication to work for the development and welfare. The marathon
11-hour all party meeting and with the Dalit representatives chaired by KCR
demonstrated his concern for Dalits and other oppressed classes in the society.
A day before, while reviewing Palle
and Pattana Pragathi Programs the next phase of which are scheduled to commence
from First July, the CM called upon the public representatives and official
machinery to treat rural and urban development as a continuous process and
discharge their duties thinking that the needs of people as top on the agenda.
He wanted the administrative set up to gear itself to make the Telangana state
an ideal state in the country.
For the development of villages and
urban areas, the government would keep two Crore rupees of funds with the
Ministers and one crore rupees with all the district collectors. CM said
Collectors play a key role in the development of villages and urban areas and
they should select an efficient working team and make them partners in the
developmental programs. In the meeting, the CM said that the state government
stood by the farmers and agriculture and the state had turned itself into a
great agriculture-based state. Telangana State became a rice bowl and crops are
in abundance.
Since the sale of spurious seeds, fertilizers
and pesticides are causing havoc to the rural economy and to farmers in the
state, the CM instructed the agriculture and police department to act in
coordination and with Collectors and other higher district officials using
their special powers to eradicate the spurious seeds sale.
Cleaning profile of urban areas will
have to be prepared and accordingly CM KCR had instructed the officials to
prepare a list of the retired employees, ex-servicemen and utilize their
services in Pattana and Palle Pragathi programs. Since new integrated
Collectors’ complexes are made functional, measures should be taken to protect
all the government buildings and assets in the district and they should be utilized
for the public utilities. During the ten-day Pattana Pragathi program,
officials should plan in accordance with ‘Map your town’ model and rectify the
mistakes in the urban areas.
The CM said under the Dalit
Empowerment Program eligible Dalit BPL families would be developed in a phased
manner and this is in addition to SC Sub Plan. The CM said Collectors and
higher officials would play a key role in removing backwardness and problems of
the Dalits and beneficiaries should be selected in a transparent way. He said
beneficiaries should be selected by draw of lot and like the Rythu Bandhu and
old age pensions, the financial assistance should be given to the beneficiaries
and the amount should be credited to their bank accounts.
It was decided at the all-party
meeting to send Rs 10 Lakh financial assistance directly to the bank accounts
of the Dalit beneficiaries under CM Dalit Empowerment Program to the eligible
Dalits. In the first phase, from the 119 Assembly Constituencies, 100 families
from each constituency all over the state will be chosen and the assistance
would be given to the eligible 11,900 people selected. For this, the All-Party
meeting decided to ear mark Rs 1200 Crore. The government wanted to do more for
Dalits who had been discriminated for generations. In addition to spending Rs
40,000 crore in coming years, a corpus fund would also be set up.
CM said through Dalit Empowerment
Program, eligible poor Dalit beneficiaries would be given assistance without
any bank guarantees. Special plans would be prepared following the policy of
Centre for Dalit Studies for the welfare and development of Dalits.
The proposed CM Dalit Empowerment
Program, as felt by the all-party meeting, would bring in a qualitative change
in the lives of Dalits and the programs launched by the CM and his thoughts on
Dalits have become a role model for the country. CM Dalit Empowerment Program
would further change the lives of Dalits for better. The All-Party meeting was
convened to make them stake holders to stand unitedly by the Dalits, remove
their inferiority and to bring in qualitative change in their thought process
and attitude.
For the last seven years, CM KCR’s
endeavor is to bring in a qualitative change in the lives of all sections of
people in the State. His commitment to strengthen the rural economy, turn
agriculture as profitable venture, revive and revitalize the hereditary
professions, effect rapid changes in the power, education, medical and health
sectors supported by a slew of progressive measures are all aimed at creating
wealth and strengthening the economy which is in doldrums in the rest of the
country.
Though
he never made any proclamation, CM KCR is aiming at something very high, mighty,
and big. He is laying a strong foundation for future generations’ prosperity,
peace, harmony, and development. Making all sections of people to become
economically self-reliant, revolutionary administrative reforms, progressive
and forward-looking changes in the education sector, KCR is thinking and acting
like a Statesman, which ordinary people find it difficult to understand and
digest. (With VJM Divakar, Senior Journalist)
