Did Not Become IAS As I Wanted To Serve People: KTR

Telangana IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao today said that the TRS government, which had recognised that the Dalit community had been "lagging behind" for about seven decades due to the "neglect" of successive governments, had come up with the Dalit Bandhu program for their emancipation.

Speaking at a program at Sangareddy district's Githam University, the minister also revealed some surprising facts about his own life. He said that though his father, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, had always urged him to pursue a career as an IAS officer, he had ended up opting for politics instead as he wanted to serve the people.

Rao then spoke about the SC empowerment scheme in detail and interacted with the pupils of the university, responding to their many queries regarding the same.

"While the Dalit Bandhu has been launched for the empowerment of the SC community, the Rythu Bandhu was rolled out for the farmers' benefit. Our government, unlike the preceding regimes of undivided Andhra Pradesh, has always been committed to social welfare. This is evident through the fact that we have implemented many programs, like the Mission Bhagiratha, which enabled us to supply potable water to rural Telangana. Schemes like Rythu Bandhu were all radical decisions. We have also planted 2.30 crore saplings even though before we achieved this, it was seen as an impossible pursuit. We also provide pensions to the disadvantaged. Our aim is to empower the weaker sections of society. Under the guidance of the CM, we are determined to implement welfare schemes for the benefit of our people," he added.

Reiterating the importance of the Dalit Bandhu scheme, KTR asserted that the program would "usher in a new era of emancipation" for the SCs.