BENGALURU: For the last five days, marathon meetings running into hours have kept newly sworn-in Minister for Social welfare Priyank Kharge busy. Priyank spoke to TNIE about the need to choose economically empowering activities over populist schemes for socially backward classes and what according to him is the ideal way to spend the massive allocation of Rs 28,002 crore under the SC/ST sub-plan.
What are your visions and focus areas for the Social Welfare ministry?
Priority is to ensure effective and structured use of budget allocation made for the ministry, about Rs 5,000-6,000 crore, under Karnataka Scheduled Caste and Tribal Sub-plan Act, 2013. We need sustained precise programmes to be able to deliver to those in the bottom of the pyramid. We need to ensure they are more equipped with respect to employment and entrepreneurship. We are evaluating new schemes to cater to the newer aspirations of the younger generations of the community. The focus is on economically empowering activities.
What are the challenges in implementing schemes?
It is a daunting task to get the marginalised section of society back into the mainstream. Most of these communities have unique cultures, dialects, practices, traditional occupations and it is difficult to get everybody together. Challenge is to bring them into mainstream while preserving their uniqueness.
How will you ensure e fective expenditure of funds allocated under SC/ST sub-plan?
We are trying to come up with a specific plan for every department like rural water supply, PWD, youth services and women and child welfare and seek their support. It will be a great delivery model that will eliminate duplication which is taking place unintentionally. Targetted programme to each department will ensure that funds are used effectively and more people benefit out of it.
What other than welfare schemes are you considering?
I have asked my team to form a committee that will evaluate every scheme, including those in place for 30-40 years now, to understand their effectiveness. It will include experts who will give us suggestions on aspects like rural entrepreneurship, tribal areas development etc. It will be a time-bound committee that will make recommendations within 2-3 months.
When will the government table the socio-economic caste census?
The previous government was clear that they would release it at the right time, but this a coalition government now. We need to check with our partners on what needs to be done. It is left to the government. Survey or no survey, I have a job of empowering people and that’s what I should do.
Is the dissidence within Congress affecting the party, coalition and the government?
Any kind of dissidence is not good for the party, government or coalition. It leaves a bad taste among colleagues and sends a wrong perception to the public. People have a lot of expectations from our government and when there is open dissidence people get flustered ... but if there is dissidence that means there is democracy.
Do you anticipate a cut in allocation of funds to your ministry to accommodate the farm loan waiver?
I head a ministry that is set up to ensure that the marginalised are empowered and I am sure there won’t be a cut given that we have a plan that has more to do with economic empowering activity than populist schemes.