Siddaramaiah Fumes as Just 40 Percent of SC, ST Funds Utilised

Bangalore:  Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday took officials to task over poor spending of funds earmarked under Scheduled Caste Special Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Special Plan (TSP).

In a review meeting held here, Siddaramaiah reportedly got upset and vented his ire at officials after coming to know that just 40 per cent of the allocated funds had been spent till December 2015.

The government had earmarked Rs 11,733.54 crore under SCSP for the year 2015-16, of which just Rs 4,616.06 crore was spent. Similarly just Rs 1,949.29 crore was spent out of the Rs 4,578.16 crore set aside under TSP.

“What were you doing all these days? I will not tolerate this kind of slack attitude. You should spend the entire money by the end of the financial year,” Siddaramaiah reportedly warned the officials.

The poor spending comes as a shocker for the state government which boasts of being the second state in the country after Andhra Pradesh having a legislation making it mandatory for 22 per cent of funds reserved for SC, STs in a given financial year.

While the Social Welfare Department has spent Rs 1,140 crore out of the Rs 2,933.26 crore under SCSP, the Tribal Welfare Department has spent just Rs 410.44 crore out of the Rs 1,052.9 crore (See box)

Siddaramaiah also reviewed the cases of atrocities on people belonging to SC, ST community being registered in the state and their progress.

Later speaking to reporters, the CM said, though the atrocities against SCs and STs have come down, the conviction rate in reported cases has been very low. “I have asked deputy commissioners and SPs to take steps to ensure the guilty are punished in atrocities cases,” he added.

He also said there was a demand for appointing an additional Advocate General to deal with cases of atrocities and he would consider it positively.

Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya, Law Minister T B Jayachandra, Home Minister G Parameshwara and senior officials were present in the meeting

Source: The Indian Express