Centre raps Telangana, Aandhra Pradesh over SC/ST SME scheme

HYDERABAD: Both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments had to taste the ire of the Ministry of  Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) for not sending details of nodal offices to promote the initiative taken up by it for the uplift of SC/ST entrepreneurs.The ministry, which is promoting its latest programme, National Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Hub (NSSH), came down heavily on the governments of  Telugu-speaking states for not sending details of nodal agencies to promote the scheme. 

Addressing the first conclave in the state, organised by the ministry here on Friday, Director (SME) Dr PGS Rao said, “I have personally written to the two governments (TS and AP) to share the details of nodal agencies in the two states to spread the information to the district for capacity building. I have been asking them to send the details for the past two months, but none of them have responded so far.”

He further said that no officials from the implementing agency are also present” at the “venue” to share the required information. Calling it as a ‘shameful’ act,  the SC/ST entrepreneurs booed ministers G Jagadish Reddy and Ajmeera Chandulal who were present at the conclave, for failing to send the details. 

The industry body, Tribal Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TICCI) also vent its  displeasure over pending proposals of land allotment for industrial clusters in the state. Replying to the accusations, energy minister G Jagadish Reddy stated that the schemes of the Telangana  government were copied by other states. 

 “All materials related to setting up of residential institutes in Telangana were procured from Dalit entrepreneurs,” he said while asking the Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSEs) to tell what they want from the entrepreneurs so that they can act  accordingly. ST development minister Azmeera Chandulal said that its T-Pride was in accordance with Centre’s MUDRA scheme.