Congress accuses TRS Govt of neglecting STs

Khammam, May 8: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday found fault with the dereliction policies of the TRS Government towards the welfare of Scheduled Tribes contrary to the promises made in its election manifesto.

Accusing the State Government of neglecting the Tribals, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the real meaning of separate State would be lost without empowering the STs in every aspect.

Addressing an election meeting in favour of Congress candidate Sucharitha Reddy in Khammam Rural as part of campaign for by-elections for Palair Assembly constituency, the TPCC chief said that almost all the promises made to the Tribals by TRS Government remained ignored. He said that before coming to the power, the TRS had promised 3-acre land, employment, establishment of Tribal University and conversion of Tandas into Gram Panchayats. But none of these promises were fulfilled. He further said that TRS had promised effective implementation of SC, ST Sub-Plan by formulating rules. However, nothing has been done so far and the TRS Government did not spend even 50% of funds under SC, ST Sub-Plan.

Elaborating on the unfulfilled promises of TRS government to Tribals, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that as per the Forest Rights Act, Tribals were entitled to get 10 Acres of the land for cultivation and other purposes. But TRS Government failed to provide even three acres land which it promised. Instead of providing land to the Tribals, State Government was harassing the aborigines in the State by filing cases on those who are continuing their cultivation activities on forest lands in the name of Harithaharam and regularization of lands, he alleged.

It is to be reminded that TRS government had asked the Tribals to regularize their lands and obtain Pattas if they are farming past 2006. He said that nearly 25 lakh acres such land of Tribals across the state awaits for regularization as Pattas and owing to financial burden Tribals cannot pay and procure their certificates. He asked the TRS Government as to when the process of establishing a Tribal University would begin as per its poll promise. He said that TRS Government's promise of giving 12% reservations for STs was still a mirage.

Uttam Kumar said that state government had promised to establish Integrate Tribal Development Authority (ITDA) in several other districts in Telangana. But it never discussed this issue after coming to power. He informed that currently Bhadrachalam in Khammam, Eturinagaram in Warangal and Utnoor in Adilabad district have ITDA whereas there was need of these bodies in Mahboobnagar, Hyderabad, Nalgonda and others.

The TPCC chief said that the TRS Government was trying to cover up its failures by resorting to mud-slinging against political opponents. Instead of concentrating on development, the TRS Government, especially Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, was focussed on strengthening his party through illegal and unethical means. He said that KCR and his team have turned so arrogant that they are not hesitating to target a deceased MLA, Ramreddy Venkatreddy, who had served the people of Palair for several decades. "This is the beginning of end of TRS misrule in the State. People of Palair will teach a fitting lesson to TRS by electing Congress candidate Sucharitha Reddy," he said.