In a bid to woo the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has announced restoration and support to all institutions and mutts belonging to these social groups.
“The government will develop SC, ST mutts which have immensely contributed to the social and education sectors over the years,” Bommai said.
Bommai showed an increase in the allocation for SC/ST development under the Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan (SCP-TSP).
“As per norms, the government needs to allocate 24.01% of the total budget for SC, ST communities development. While various projects are undertaken under the SCP/TSP budget, a large portion of it goes towards salaries and administrative expenses. This year, the government has excluded these costs from the SCP/TSP funds so as to maximise its utilisation for development works,” Bommai said. “In all, the government has allocated Rs 28,234 crore for SCP/TSP budget, excluding administrative cost of Rs 598 crore,” he said.
That apart, the government has announced that houses will be constructed on priority for the homeless SC/ST, nomadic and semi-nomadic communities. To encourage self-employment among SC/ST youth, the government has announced financial assistance of Rs 50,000 towards purchase of electric 3-wheeler goods vehicle that costs Rs 1.5 lakh.
Bommai said “important places” in Karnataka that B R Ambedkar visited will be identified and developed.
Other castes
The government will implement schemes amounting to Rs 400 crore through corporations established for various communities - Tigala, Mali, Mali Malagara, Kumbara, Yadava, Devadiga, Simpi, Kshatriya, Medara, Kunchi, Kurma, Pinjara / Nadaf, Kuruba, Balija, Idiga and Hadapada communities.
Bommai also gave Rs 100 crore each to Veerashaiva-Lingayat Development Corporation and Vokkaliga Development Corporation. The Maratha Development Corporation gets Rs 50 crore.
The government has even reached out to the Kodava community by setting aside Rs 10 crore for the community’s development.
Freeing Hindu temples
Bommai reiterated that the government will free Hindu shrines from government control with “necessary legal action... to delegate the discretion of development works to the temples,” he said.
Further, Bommai announced a hike in the annual Tasteek for temple priests from Rs 48,000 to Rs 60,000.
Bommai also gave Rs 100 crore for “comprehensive development” of the Anjanadri Hill in Koppal, which is believed to be the birthplace of Hanuman, a deity that Bommai reveres. “Works related to providing basic facilities, rope-way to the tourists will be completed at a cost of Rs 100 crore,” he said.
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