BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is all set to present his 17th budget on March 6, is facing a big challenge from within the Congress over allocation of funds for the comprehensive development of the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
Siddaramaiah has convened a meeting of Congress MLAs from these communities to take them into confidence in terms of allocation of funds.
The government allocates 24.1% of its budget for the welfare of the SCs and STs under the Kar nataka Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan Act. The Act came into force in 2013 and the government is committed to reserve 24.1% of the total budget to these communities based on their population.
According to a senior Congress leader, legislators from these communities have been demanding that the CM earmark separate grants for the SCs and STs and they be not diverted to implement the guarantee schemes.
“The MLAs are not able to get grants approved even for schemes such as Ganga Kalyana where borewells are drilled and pumpsets provided to ease the drinking water crisis in their constituencies. Embarrassed by this, they are pressuring Siddaramaiah to ensure separate grants for the welfare of their communities in this year’s budget. The grants should not be reduced or diverted to implement the guarantee schemes. This pressure by the legislators may damage Siddaramaiah’s reputation as a leader of Alpasankhyataru, Hindulidavaru, Dalitaru (Ahinda -- Minorities, Backward Classes and Dalits),’’ he said.
State convener of Dalit Sangarsh Samiti (DSS) Mavalli Shankar told TNIE that the Congress had announced the guarantee schemes in its election manifesto for people from all categories.
“When the announcement was made, the party did not mention that it will divert SCSP and TSP funds to the guarantee schemes if it comes to power. The aim of the Act is to empower the SCs and STs and ensure their growth. The other aim is to reduce the gap between the SCs/STs and other communities in terms of development. The funds earmarked should have been spent on these communities’ education, health and employment. They should not have been diverted to implement the guarantee schemes,’’ he said.
Many legislators from these communities have become ministers. Siddaramaiah announced Rs 34k crore, Rs 39k crore and Rs 42k crore, respectively, for the SCs and STs for 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2024-26. But a major chunk has been diverted to the guarantee schemes. The Congress has over 32 MLAs from these communities.
Meanwhile, sources in the government said many legislators, especially from the Congress, are unhappy over not getting adequate funds to implement the schemes for the welfare of the SCs and STs.
“Around Rs 60,000 crore is spent on the guarantee schemes. This is a big amount for the government, which has to earmark funds for other development schemes also. Many legislators have expressed their displeasure in this regard in public events’’ the sources said.