Karnataka to give statutory status to SC, ST plans

CM Siddaramaiah announces in Assembly

Bangalore: Chief Minister of Kartnataka Siddaramaiah has announced in the Assembly during the budget speech that , bringing legislation for effective implementation of SCSP/TSP schemes on the lines of Andhra Pradesh was his priority.

He allotted a total of Rs 8,616.30 crore for the sub plans including Rs 6,135.57 crore for SC Sub -Plan and Rs 2,480.74 for Tribal Sub Plan, out of the total Annual Budget of Rs 48,685 crore. After the AP Act on SC/ST Sub- Plans, Karnataka is the second state to come out with an Act to check the diversions and under- utilization of the Sub- Plan funds.

It is worth to note here that the Central Government has already come out with a draft bill and circulated it for discussion seeking suggestions. Siddaramaiah, who is also handling the Finance portfolio has announced some sops to the SCs and STs in his budget speech.

They are as follows:

• Land ownership scheme: enhancement of unit cost to Rs 7.5 lakh. Construction cost of the housing increased to Rs 1,50,000.
• Constructions of toilets to the families of SCs andSTs in villages -Rs15,000 each.Civil services competitive examination � training to SC/ST students � grants to training institution.30 new residential schools for SC and 15 new residential schools for ST students.Increase of day scholarships to pre-metric students � Rs 150 to boys and Rs 200 for girls.
• Monthly food charges of post-metric student's hostels, Morarji Desai, Kitturu Rani Chennamma residential schools - increased to Rs.1,000 and,Pre-metric students hostels increased to Rs 900 and students securing more than 60% marks in SSLC -enhancement of incentive to Rs.7, 000 and for students securing more than 75% - to Rs. 15,000.Construction of Dr. B.R.Ambedkar Spoorthi Bhavan at M.G. Road Bangalore - Rs.25 crore.
• Self employment scheme - subsidy enhanced to Rs.35,000
• Total Social Welfare allocation Rs. 3,001 crore

It may be recalled that the Centre for Dalit Studies (CDS) organised round table conferences in Bangalore with the political parties and media groups in the month of March and April 2013 on SCSP/TSP. CDS team met Ramesh Kumar and his team members of Congress manifesto Committee and requested them to include the SCSP/ TSP ACT in their election manifesto.

They discussed with other political parties and also requested them to include in their election manifestos the SCSP/ TSP issue. Accordingly, the SCSP/TSP found place in all political parties' manifestos in the recently concluded elections in May 2013.

Sri K R Venugopal, IAS (Retd), former Secretary to Govt of India, Dr K Ramachandra Murthy, Cheif Editor HMTV; Sri Mallepalli Laxmaiah and others initiated the discussions for one full day with the concerned groups in Bangalore.