Where do funds for SC/ST go?

Kochi: Finance Minister Thomas Isaac in his budget speech on February 2, 2018 spent more than 10 minutes to highlight the allocation of resources to the scheduled caste (SC) and tribe (ST) community in the state budget. Dr Isaac prefaced his detailed exposition of the allocation by referring to the rising tide of Dalit agitations across the country and their manifestation in the emergence of new organizsations and new cultural and academic studies.

The points raised by Dr Isaac in the budget speech are highly relevant and deserve attention of all people concerned with the matter of equitable distribution of social wealth and dignity of human life. Equally important is the need for a social audit of the utilisation of the funds allocated for the SC and ST community over the years. The matter assumes importance amidst allegations that the bulk of the funds allocated for the welfare of the SC and ST community has been squandered in projects without any relevance to the community by the politician-bureaucrat-business nexus.

The information gathered by RTI activist and former deputy drug controller N.S. Alexander reveals that allocation of resources and the well-being of the members of the SC and ST community are moving on parallel tracks in the state. According to the information provided by the Directorate of Scheduled Castes Development, the amount allocated by the central and state governments to the SC community between 2000-01 to 2016-17 was a whopping Rs 20,096.89 cr. This is a huge amount in a state like Kerala, perennially complaining about resources crunch. 

According to Mr Alexander, much of this allocation has been pocketed by vested interests. "The pitiable condition of the social and physical infrastructure in Dalit settlements across the state itself is a manifestation of the pilferage of the funds", he said. "We need to understand that a major infrastructure like a flyover at Vyttilla in Ernakulam, considered as the busiest traffic junction in the state, cost around Rs 80 cr only. So imagine the possibility of improving the social and physical infrastructure with an amount like Rs 20,000 cr", he said.

C.S. Murali, president of the Kerala Dalit Mahasabha, during the Self-Respect Convention of Dalit Self-respect convention at Vadayambadi near Puthencruz said the matter deserved serious scrutiny. "I think the Dalit organizations in the state need to devise a mechanism to monitor the allocation of funds and its utilization", he added.

Dr Isaac while detailing the fund allocation for the SC and ST communities in his budget speech pointed out that the maximum allocation was made for the housing sector.  "As in the previous year, now also the largest amount provided in SCP and TSP is for housing, which comes to Rs. 651 crore and Rs. 236 crore respectively. Besides this, Rs.110 crore under P.K. Kalan project is provided through micro plans to help those Scheduled Tribes living in isolated homes", Dr Isaac said. 

If the statement by Dr Isaac can be taken as an indication, the maximum amount of the Rs 20,000 cr spent in the past 18 years might have gone for the construction of houses for the community. "Is there one single house in the state that could be described as a model for the SC or ST community despite spending such huge amounts of money", asks Mr Alexander. "I have pointed out the pathetic condition of the houses built for the SC and ST communities in the state as it has always been a favourite subject for the media over the years," he said.

The information gathered under RTI from the Directorate of Scheduled Tribe Development shows that the fund allocated for the community during 2000-01 to 2016-17 amounted to Rs 2,731.48 cr. The information furnished is only for 17 years as under RTI the base year or cut-off year for providing the information is 2000-01. "If we take into account the amount spent for the SC and ST community from 1956 it would be much higher," added Alexander. The enormity of the systemic corruption in the name of SC and ST community will also be much higher, he added.

Minister makes big promises for them

Extracts from budget speech of Dr Thomas Isaac on the welfare of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe:

75: The entire Dalit community of India is awakening. There are struggles against class discrimination, protests against oppression, emergence of new organisations and cultural and academic studies. During this period, the Central Government special component plan (SCP) for SC and Sub Plan for ST (STP) ceased to exist consequent to the abolition of the Five Year Plan. 

Provisions proportionate to the population of SC and ST communities have never been made in Central Budgets. During 2016-17, only 11.5 per cent of the Central plan was allocated to the Scheduled Tribes which comprise 25.2 per cent of the population. With the introduction of new reforms, the allocation of funds for SC and ST schemes has considerably gone down again. Kerala Budget stands apart in this context.

76: The outlay for SCP is raised to Rs.2859 crore from Rs. 2599 crore. This comes to 9.8 per cent of the total plan. The outlay for TSP is raised to Rs. 826 crore from Rs.751 crore. This comes to 2.83 per cent of the total plan outlay. It may be noted that the Scheduled Caste category is 9.1per cent and Scheduled Tribe Category is 1.45 per cent of the population. Social welfare indices of the Scheduled Castes in Kerala are higher than the general social welfare indices of certain north Indian States. But, it is behind the general average of Kerala. Comparatively a larger outlay is included in the budget with an aim to overcome this. 

"Your fate is also the wages in the father's column", the curse which resounded in the classroom like a proverb was echoed by Bilu. C. Narayanan in her poem 'Pulapank'. We should respond to this by raising the social indices of the scheduled caste to the general standard.

77: 45 per cent of the SCP and 2.34 per cent of TSP are earmarked to local self-government institutions. This fund allocation is for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories to participate in planning process to formulate plans as desired by them. 

78: As in  previous year, now also  largest amount provided in SCP and TSP is for housing, which comes to Rs. 651 crore and Rs. 236 crore respectively. Besides this, Rs.110 crore under P.K.Kalan project is provided through micro plans to help those Scheduled Tribes living in isolated homes.