Telangana CM chairs SC/ST review meeting

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Monday chaired Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) review meeting at Pragathi Bhavan here.

Pitching for the development of the minorities, Chandrashekhar Rao on January 19 said that the government has allocated Rs. 1,030 crores in the first state budget for the welfare and development of the minorities.

"For the welfare and development of minorities, who have constituted 14.24 per cent among the population, a comprehensive plan is prepared. For the first in the annuals of history, we have allocated Rs. 1,030 crores in the first state budget for the welfare and development of the minorities. The allocations were then hiked to Rs. 1,204 crores the same year," Rao said.

He further said that backwardness among the minorities can be eradicated only through education.

Asserting that since the government has increased programmes under the Minority Welfare Department, Rao said the department has become important and its activities extended.