The state government on Friday approved Rs 28,234 crore to be spent on Dalits and tribals under the Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan (SCSP-TSP).
Allocations for some departments have been hiked compared to the previous fiscal, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said after chairing a meeting of the state-level council that decides on the sub-plans.
“Allocation for the social welfare department has been raised by Rs 500 crore whereas the agriculture department will get Rs 1,061 crore against Rs 851 crore last year. Similarly, the grant for the horticulture department has been increased to Rs 187 crore from the earlier Rs 142 crore. The health department will get Rs 1,300 crore against Rs 899 crore,” Bommai said.
For the revenue department, the sub-plans allocation has been hiked from Rs 2,900 crore last year to Rs 3,748 crore. “This is due to the increase in pensions,” the CM said.
The government will spend Rs 20 crore to develop all places in the state that were visited by Dr B R Ambedkar. “We have also decided to issue free bus passes for SC/ST students,” Bommai said.
During the meeting, Bommai directed officials to make sure that the sub-plans money is spent only for the welfare of SC/ST communities.
Rs 1,600 crore parked
Bommai asked officials to withdraw Rs 1,600 crore belonging to various boards and corporations that are deposited in bank accounts. “Are you working for bankers? This is nothing but financial mismanagement,” Bommai apparently said in the meeting, taking officials to task. “You have to withdraw the money within three months and use it for developmental works. If you don’t, then I will withdraw the money myself,” he said.
The SCSP-TSP programmes should be implemented in education, health, nutrition and women’s welfare before August 15, the CM directed officials.
The Karnataka Scheduled Castes Sub Plan and Tribal Sub Plan (Planning, Allocation and Utilisation of Financial Resources) Act requires the government to spend 24.1% of its total budget on SC/ST welfare: 17.15% for SCs and 6.95% for STs.