Rath yatra on SC, ST Sub-Plan Act flagged off

Visakhapatnam: A ‘rath yatra’ with 100 Dalit woman leaders to generate awareness on Scheduled Caste Sub Plan/Tribal Sub-Plan Act (SCSP/TSP) was flagged off at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar statue near LIC Circle here on Monday.

The rally, headed by Dalit Sthree Sakthi State convenor Jhansi Geddam from Hyderabad, is on a mission to highlight the Act, human rights besides the schemes and subsidies available for Dalits.

In an effort to educate Dalits on the subject in Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Ranga Reddy and Hyderabad districts, the 10-day campaign also includes conference on ‘empowerment of Dalit women and girl children’ in each district. “The yatra will cover 2,400 villages in 47 mandals. The objective is to bring two elements to the forefront – complete awareness on the SCSP/TSP Act and to help strengthen the quality of life for Dalit women and girl children through its effective implementation,” Ms. Jhansi Geddam explained.

Before flagging off the rally, former Mayor D.V. Subba Rao encouraged the Dalit women to continue their mission until the present Act reach the targeted community. “Merely having an Act in place does not serve any purpose. An Act can only breathe life if the concerned people take the onus and fight like soldiers,” he said.

Some of the Dalit women voiced their long suppressed emotions through folklore. Vice-Chancellor of Adikavi Nannaya University, Rajahmundry P. George Victor, among others also spoke and garlanded the statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar before flagging off the yatra.

Source: The Hindu