CM KCR announces slew of sops for Brahmins

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has announced a slew of sops for the welfare of Brahmin community which includes fee reimbursement to the poor students for pursuing higher studies in the prestigious institutions like IIT and IIM.

Accompanied by the noted Seers from different Peethams, the Chief Minister inaugurated the Brahmin Sadan building constructed on a sprawling 9 acres of land at Gopanpally here on Wednesday. The Brahmana Samkshema Parishad was established to ensure welfare and development of the Brahman community, especially people, who were below the poverty line. The government was allocating Rs 100 crore to the Parishad annually to implement different welfare and development programmes for the Brahmin community, he said. The CM claimed Telangana was the only State in the country to set up an exclusive Brahmin Sadan and also set a new benchmark in ensuring the welfare of the Brahmin community.

The sadan will provide facilities which would include Kalyanamandapam for marriages and other functions free of cost. A big auditorium, information centre and accommodation centre for Seers was also provided in the building.

KCR announced that the monthly honorarium of Veda pandits will be increased from Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000. The eligibility age for beneficiaries under the scheme would be reduced to 65 years from 75 years. The assistance under the Dhoopa Deepa Naivedhyam programme was also being extended to 2,796 temples. With this, 6,441 temples would be covered under the programme.

KCR further said that the temple maintenance money will be increased to Rs 10,000 from the present Rs 6,000 and the Archakas will receive the amount directly into their accounts.

Further, the Chief Minister said Rs 2-lakh assistance, which is being extended for operations and maintenance of Veda Patashalas, would now be made an annual grant. He assured that Anuvamshika Archakas issues would also be discussed in the cabinet and addressed at the earliest. All-India Brahmin Federation president Dr Pradeep Jyothi hailed Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s efforts to the empowerment of poor Brahmins and the construction of the exclusive Brahmin Sadan.

He said that political parties and leaders announce many schemes for the Brahmin community during elections. After declaration of the results, the parties forgot to fulfill the promises. On the contrary, CM KCR was proactive and was striving for the welfare of all communities, he added.