MYSURU: The Karnataka government passing the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan and Tribal Sub Plan (Planning , Allocation and Utilisation of Financial Resources) Act, setting aside 23 per cent of funds in proportion to the community’s population, has impressed none other than President Ram Nath Kovind.
The legislation passed by the state Legislature with an aim to prevent diversion and utilisation of funds for the direct benefit of SC/STs has made the first citizen to look into nuances, provisions, functions and penal provisions of it. Ram Nath Kovind, who was in Bengaluru to participate in a function recently, gave a patient hearing to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and is said to have been quite impressed when the CM briefed him on social sector programmes implemented in the state and the historic legislation that made allocated funds non-divertable.
The CM told the President that officials failing to utilise and found guilty of diverting funds will be liable to six months’ imprisonment.
Kovind asked Siddaramaiah to send him details of the legislation and welfare programmes launched by the government, so that he can suggest to other states to emulate Karnataka Legislation Act.
Since Karnataka has set a trend in this regard, the President wants other states to fall in line that would give scope for inclusive growth and work towards empowerment of deprived sections, replicating a similar legislation in the rest of the country.
PWD Minister H C Mahadevappa and chief secretary Rathna Prabha, who were also with the CM, have also briefed the President about other welfare programmes, including fee reimbursement, free bus passes, loans at subsidized interest rate to SC/ST entrepreneurs, reservation in contracts, distribution of free laptops and purchase of land for landless SC/STs.
They told the President that it has become a challenge for the government to come out with concrete and long lasting programmes that would change socio-economic conditions of SC/STs. Mahadevappa also apprised him of development of dalit colonies with best infrastructure and improving sanitation both in urban and rural areas.
The state government will evaluate execution of development programmes under the Social Welfare Department and list out new programmes that will be included in the Congress election manifesto.
Prez to look into SC/ST Promotion Bill
Sources said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and others apprised President Ramanth Kovind of the Legislature passing SC/ST Promotion Bill that has been referred for his assent. They appealed to him to take a decision as the case will come before the Apex Court on January 14.