The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Minister for corporation to help Valmikis

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 21, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Minister for corporation to help Valmikis

By Our Staff Reporter

KURNOOL, FEB. 20. The Minister for Lift Irrigation, M. Mareppa, said that he had asked the Government to constitute a commission to study the issue of inclusion of Valmikis in the Scheduled Tribe list. Talking to reporters here on Sunday, he said in districts like Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Khammam and East Godavari, Valmikis were categorised as STs. But in Kurnool and Anantapur, where the community was in a majority, they were considered as BCs.

Mr. Mareppa said Valmikis, who had no particular profession, were caught in faction violence. Valmikis should be treated as victims of faction politics, he said, and suggested that an exclusive corporation should be constituted to help the community.

Discrimination

The Minister said that Dalit Christians were also being discriminated against by being treated as BCs. He said Dalits and Dalit Christians lived in the same locality but had a different social status when it came to jobs and other Government help. He said the issue was also placed before the Government for consideration.

The Minister said the Government was examining the problems of weavers in Kurnool district. The weaver community at Yemmiganur urged the Government to start a residential school and arrange a tie-up with APCO to buy fabrics from them. The family of Machani Somappa came forward to donate 20 acres of land to the school at Yemmiganur.

Reference to Centre

Mr. Mareppa said the issue of categorisation of SCs was being referred to the Centre for providing statutory support to the decision. He said the Centre was the right body to take a final decision, considering that the issue related to SCs' quota from one State to another.

Mr.Mareppa denied large-scale migration of labourers from his constituency, saying it was the usual practice for small sections of the population to migrate to other places for work.

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