The Karnataka Rajya Dalitha Sangharsha Samithi (DSS) has urged the Governor to reserve 23 per cent of budgetary allocation for the welfare of dalits, in the Budget to be presented by the month end.

Speaking to reporters here on Saturday, DSS State convener Mr Lakshminarayana Nagavara said that they were demanding the share, in proportionate to the population of dalits in the State.

Besides, the previous government headed by Mr H D Kumaraswamy and Mr B S Yediyurappa had given an undertaking to the Union Planning Commission that the State would make budgetary allocations, depending on the population of the dalits in the State.

Taking a dig at the previous JD(S)-BJP coalition government, he charged that the government had boasted to have earmarked 12 per cent for welfare of dalits.
In reality, the government had released only Rs 250 crore through ‘link documents.’ Even that money was not utilised properly and the funds went back, he added.