Non-utilisation of grants irks Dalit organisations
Hassan: Many Dalit organisations staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Monday against the alleged non-utilisation of grants released under the Scheduled Castes sub-plan and Tribal sub-plan (SCP & TSP) in the district. Over Rs. 44 crore released during 2014-15 had remained unutilised in the district, they claimed. Members of the Adivasi Soligara Sangha, Hassan district unit of the Samata Sainik Dal, Forum for Dalits’ Rights and other organisations participated in the protest.
The protesters alleged that the officials had failed to spend the grants meant for the welfare of the most backward classes of society. “This shows the officialdom is not concerned with the plight of the downtrodden. We are demanding the State government to take legal action against erring officials, make it mandatory to utilise the funds allocated under sub-plans,” said Mari Joseph of the Forum for Dalits’ Rights.
They submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Umesh H. Kubusad. When the protesters appealed to him to take action against erring officials concerned, Mr. Kubusad said he had no such authority. The protesters had to remind the official about the new law that entrusted the district-level committee, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, with the power to book cases against the officials who fail to spend the grants allocated.
Source: The Hindu
