12/15/23, 11:24 AM SC/ST funds: CM challenges Centre, BJP-ruled govts.

to enact legislation

SC/ST funds: Karnataka CM challenges Centre, BJP-ruled govts. to

enact legislation

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and BJP leader R. Ashok during the Assembly session in Belagavi on
Thursday. - Photo: Special Arrangement

THE HINDU BUREAU,

BELAGAVI

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday challenged the Union government and BJP-
ruled State governments to enact legislation on the lines of the Karnataka Scheduled
Castes Sub-Allocation & Tribal-Sub Allocation (Planning, Allocation and Utilisation of
Financial Resources) Act, 2013, to ensure allocation of budget in proportion to the
population of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for their welfare programmes.

Moving the Karnataka Appropriation (No-4) Bill, 2023 (or supplementary estimates
approved by the Legislative Assembly) in the Legislative Council for the approval of
the House, he said that it was the Congress government which enacted the
legislation to ensure that funds earmarked under the SCSP-TSP should be used only
for the welfare of SCs and STs.

The Chief Minister said that Karnataka government spent about ₹22,000 crore for the
SC and ST welfare programmes in five years from 2008 to 2013 (BJP tenure) before
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12/15/23, 11:24 AM SC/ST funds: CM challenges Centre, BJP-ruled govts. to enact legislation

enacting the legislation. If the population of SCs and STs stood at 17.1%, the amount
spent on their welfare programmes stood at 15 %. After the Act came into force the
amount spent on the welfare of SCs and STs went up to ₹ 82,000 crore during 2013-
2018 (during the Congress regime).

When the BJP members accused the Congress government of “diverting” the SC/ST
sub-plan money to implement its guarantee schemes, the CM hit back and said,
“What moral right do you have to speak on social justice? We (Congress) are
committed to social justice by enacting a legislation.”

Mr. Siddaramaiah questioned the BJP members why they did not prevail upon the
Union government to enact a legislation on the lines of Karnataka if the BJP is
committed to provide social justice to the deprived sections.

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