Govt. defends use of SC/ST funds for Dalit beneficiaries under guarantee schemes

The government on Friday defended the utilisation of funds allocated for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to provide the community members the benefits of guarantees even as the Opposition termed the utilisation as “diversion” of funds that was against the spirit of Karnataka Scheduled Castes Sub-Allocation & Tribal-Sub Allocation (Planning, Allocation and Utilisation of Financial Resources) Act, 2013.

The government on Friday defended the utilisation of funds allocated for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to provide the community members the benefits of guarantees even as the Opposition termed the utilisation as “diversion” of funds that was against the spirit of Karnataka Scheduled Castes Sub-Allocation & Tribal-Sub Allocation (Planning, Allocation and Utilisation of Financial Resources) Act, 2013.

During this financial year, the government intends to utilise ₹ 9,980 crore from SC/SCP funds and ₹ 4,301 crore from TSP of the total ₹ 39,121 crore allocated in the Budget towards the guarantee schemes. So far, of the total, the government has spent ₹2,228 crore, including ₹1,587 crore from the SC SCP funds and ₹641 crore from TSP.

On Friday, members cutting across party lines, opposed the government’s decision. Sudham Das ( Congress) said that it was wrong to utilise the funds meant for the downtrodden communities towards guarantees.

“When guarantee benefits are given for all, why is the funds reserved for the development of communities utilised to give benefits to the community? It should come from the larger fund,” Chalavadi Narayanswamy (BJP) said.

“Seven welfare corporations have been given ₹446 crore, which is barely sufficient for payment of salaries,” he said.

Another BJP member Shantharam Budna Siddi said: “The guarantee amount going towards Shakti scheme does not benefit Scheduled Tribes as there is no transport facility. Similarly, the Gruha Jyothi benefit is not available to a large number of tribal hamlets since there is no power supply there.”

However, Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa defended that the Act provided for the utilisation of money to schemes under provision 7C.