Special focus on development of SC/STs: Geeta Reddy

SANGAREDDY: Information Minister J. Geeta Reddy said special focus will be laid on the development of SC/STs in the State.
Addressing a gathering after participating in the birth anniversary celebrations of Babu Jagjivan Ram held here on Monday, Ms. Geeta Reddy said that the efforts made by the government are yielding results and the attendance of students from these sections has substantially increased in the district.
Stating that one integrated hostel is being maintained in each constituency, the Minister said that out of the Rs. 2.6 crore allocated to ‘Sankshemabata', introduced by late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Rs. 1.45 crore was already released and 72 works were completed. Informing that Rs. 20,000 in rural areas and Rs. 30,000 in urban areas are being extended for construction of houses by SCs and STs under Indiramma scheme, Ms. Geeta Reddy said that this would help them to have a permanent shelter. The person to head SC, ST Commission should be finalised shortly, she added.
The Minister directed the In-charge collector T. Vijayakumar to see that ‘Prajapatham,' aimed at addressing the problems in summer, should commence from Dalit bastis.
In-charge Collector T. Vijaya Kumar, MLA T. Jayaprakash Reddy, ZP Chairman M. Balaiah and others participated in the programme.
Floral tributes
Karimnagar Staff Reporter adds: Minister for Higher Education D. Sridhar Babu vowed to take measures for the installation of bronze statue of Babu Jagjivan Ram in Karimnagar. Speaking after paying floral tributes to Babu Jagjivan Ram, he also said that he would write to the State government for naming the government headquarters hospital and the RTC bus station complex in memory of Babu Jagjivan Ram. He also lauded the services of Jagjivan Ram for the upliftment of downtrodden community. Peddapalli MP G Vivekanand, Karimnagar MP Ponnam Prabhakar, Collector G.D. Aruna, Joint Collector Ch. Vijay Mohan, Mayor D. Shankar, ZP chairman A. Laxman Kumar, legislators L. Ramana, S. Devaiah, A. Mohan, G. Kamalakar, Ch. Vijayaramana Rao, S. Satyanarayana, MLC N. Laxman Rao and others garlanded the statue of Jagjivan Ram and paid floral tributes.