The Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment has also expressed concern over the inter-state imbalances in allocation of funds, non-availing of Central assistance, unspent balances lying with the states or Union Territories and diversion of funds which have been observed in respect of most of the schemes.

“The schemes were not given adequate publicity resulting in poor awareness of different schemes amongst the target population,” the panel headed by BJP MP Sumitra Mahajan said.

The panel has also pulled up the ministry for its failure to monitor the receipt of different reports and returns relating to schemes, maintain databases in respect of different schemes and carry out on-the-spot inspections in the states.

“The committee expects the ministry to analyse the reasons for shortcomings and make concerted efforts to take suitable remedial measures to overcome the same,” it said.

Budgetary allocation

The committee also noted that the budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for the year 2008-09 has been pegged at a level below the projections made by the ministry.

As against the projection of Rs 2,726 crore, the amount allocated to the ministry is Rs 2,400 crore. Accordingly, the panel has urged the Centre to consider provision of additional funds to the ministry so that the welfare schemes did not suffer.

It has also asked the ministry to revise the rates under the schemes of pre-matric scholarship for children of those engaged in unclean occupations, post-matric and pre-matric scholarships for OBC students and hostels for OBC boys and girls, which were fixed in the nineties.