TRS, PR plan ST sops

BY J.R.PRASAD Hyderabad Jan. 11: With the elections to the state fast approaching, political parties in the state have started announcing sops to attract various sections of people. While addressing a training programme for ST leaders of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti at Telangana Bhavan on Sunday, the party president, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, promised 12 per cent reservations and three acres of land for STs if a Telangana state is formed. He also said that the TRS would give panchayat status to all ST hamlets across Telangana. Moreover, the pink party will set up a mechanism to protect the culture of various tribes in the region. Meanwhile, the Praja Rajyam chief Chiranjeevi who was showering freebies while touring Prakasam district announced that his party will set up a welfare hostel exclusively for girl students from forward castes if it was voted to power. Soon after he reached Hyderabad, Chiranjeevi participated in “Girijan Sammelan” at Khajaguda, organised by the PR to muster support of the STs. While addressing the gathering, the PR chief said his party would bifurcate the SC, ST Commission as SC Commission and ST Commission for speedy disposal of cases pending at the present commission if the PR came to power. He also promised that the STs who were residing in the plains would also be brought within the purview of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA).