BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Assembly on Monday told opposition BJP to adopt a unanimous resolution to urge the Narendra Modi-led government to pass an SCSP/TSP Act to ensure a budgetary allocation proportionate to the population of SC/STs.
During his reply to the governor’s address, he said the opposition’s allegation that SCSP/TSP grants were diverted to fund the guarantees and other schemes is not true. He said Karnataka is next only to the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh to bring an Act as per Article 46 to fulfill the directive principle. “Now, only Telangana has adopted it,” he said.
“The Union Budget (for 2024-25) was Rs 48,20,512 crore and the allocation for SC/STs was Rs 1,38,368 crore, which is 2.87%. If BJP is so concerned about SC/STs, let us unanimously resolve that the Centre should implement the SCSP/TSP Act like in Karnataka,” he told BJP legislators.
“According to the 2011 census, the country has 16.6% SCs and 8.6% STs, making up 25.2%. But the Centre did not spend according to their population,” he alleged.
He took a dig at the previous BJP state government, saying it spent Rs 22,480 crore out of Rs 35,464 crore allocated in five years. “We spent Rs 1,80,000 crore in four years when we were in power. Dalits’ money has not been used for other purposes,” he claimed.
He said the Gujarat BJP government allocated 2.38% of the budget to Dalits, Maharashtra 3.6% and Centre 2.87%. But the state government allocated 7.46% and spent it, he said.
“BJP criticised our schemes, but adopted Modi Ki Guarantee during the Lok Sabha polls and also in other states. The Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Maharashtra governments are keen to adopt our schemes, but BJP here is trying to find mistakes,” he added. But BJP MLAs alleged that Siddaramaiah was not replying to their question on the diversion of SCSP/TSP grants.
Leader of opposition R Ashoka alleged that the Congress government forced the governor to deliver a speech filled with lies on its achievements. But the CM said they were all facts. As the opposition walked out, the governor’s speech was adopted in the House.
