Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy directed officials to release compensation to victims of sexual assault belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) through a “Green Channel”, stressing that the government should respond to such incidents on humanitarian grounds.

Mr. Reddy issued the instructions at a meeting of the State-level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee on the implementation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, held in Hyderabad on Tuesday (September 22, 2026).

The meeting reviewed the implementation of the Act, including cases registered, investigation and trial proceedings, disposal of cases, and the assistance and rehabilitation extended to victims.

According to the government, it was perhaps for the first time since the formation of Telangana that the State-level high-power Vigilance and Monitoring Committee on the Act met under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister.

Mr. Reddy said the government implemented several welfare programmes to improve the socio-economic conditions of SC and ST communities. He cited the provision of fine rice and nutritious food to Dalit and tribal communities as part of the measures.

Referring to the government’s housing programme, he said SCs accounted for 31% of Indiramma house beneficiaries, while 17% of houses were sanctioned to ST beneficiaries. The government provided breakfast to 27.5 lakh students from nursery to Class XII across the State, he said.

The Chief Minister said the government drew inspiration from former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and allocated funds in proportion to population demographics. He recalled that Ms. Gandhi distributed assigned land titles covering 25 lakh acres to SC and ST beneficiaries.

He appealed to SC and ST communities to encourage children to pursue education and sports. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, SC Welfare Minister Adluri Laxman Kumar, Government Adviser Shabbir Ali, MPs Mallu Ravi, Balaram Naik and Kadiyam Kavya, and several MLAs and MLC Gorati Venkanna attended the meeting.

Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju, DGP C.V. Anand, Chairpersons and members of the SC and ST Commissions and senior officials were also present.