Congress SC/ST MLAs seek act

HYDERABAD: Congress MLAs belonging to Scheduled Castes and Tribes urged the state government on Wednesday to bring in an Act for effective implementation of Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan (SCSP) and  Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) on the lines of NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) to benefit the two communities.They also wanted a share be give to SCs and STs in income- generating areas like mines, wines, industries and contracts.Briefing newsmen about the decisions taken at the SC and ST Congress MLAs’ meeting chaired by Assembly deputy speaker M Bhatti Vikramarka in the Assembly committee hall, primary education minister S Sailajanath stressed the need for providing legal status to SCSP and TSP for its effective implementation. Besides, steps should be taken to strengthen the nodal agency concerned and pooling the SCSP and TSP funds with funds of the social welfare and tribal welfare departments.“We will put in combined efforts for resolution of the problems faced by SCs and STs and in the implementation of SCSP and TSP. A full- length technical session will be held shortly to discuss the issues for finding solutions. A special visit to the places of birth of great leaders like Ambedkar, Komaram Bheem, Phule and Jagjivan Ram, who had struggled for the uplift of these communities, will be undertaken by us,” he announced.A majority of the Telangana Congress MLAs stayed away from the meeting. Only three from Telangana _ Bhatti Vikramarka, Abraham and K Satyavati _ and 20 SC and ST MLAs from Andhra and Rayalaseema including ministers P Viswarup and P Balaraju, and government whip K Murali Mohan attended the meeting. Chintalapudi MLA M Rajesh Kumar alleged that SC and ST Assembly constituencies in Krishna, East Godavari and and West Godavari districts were getting a raw deal in respect of fund allocation. He wanted certain areas such as Nuzvid and Tiruvur (Krishna), Polavaram, Gopalapuram and Kovur (West Godavari), and Rampachodavaram and Jaggampet (East Godavari) made a separate district and named after the legendary freedom fighter Alluri Sitaramaraju.