<p>Harihar: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asked Karnataka MPs to put pressure on the Centre to include enhanced reservation in the 9th schedule of the Indian Constitution so that people belonging to SCs and STs would benefit from it. “I will also visit Delhi in this regard,” he added.</p><p>He was speaking at the Maharshi Valmiki Fair-2026 organised by Shri Maharishi Valmiki Gurupeetha at Rajanahalli in the taluk on Monday.</p><p>“Our government passed a resolution urging the Centre to approve enhanced reservation for SCs and STs. But the Supreme Court is not in favour of it. I have always advocated reservations based on population. So, it had been increased for the benefit of SCs and STs. However, unless it is included in the 9th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, the effort will be in vain,” the Chief Minister observed. </p><p>Admitting the loopholes in the effective utilisation of funds for SCs and STs under the Special Component Plan (SCP) and Tribal Sub Plan (TSP), the Chief Minister said, “Our government introduced a new law in 2013 to ensure that grants are allocated to SCs and STs as per their population. Over Rs 4,2018 crore had been allocated under the scheme for 2025-26. During its four-year tenure, the BJP government spent Rs 1.10 lakh crore for SCs and STs, while the Congress-led government has spent Rs 1.17 lakh crore in just three years,” he said.</p>.Bring Karnataka SC, ST quota hike under Ninth schedule: Rudrappa Lamani.<p><strong>‘Karnataka leads’</strong></p><p>“We are proud that Karnataka is one among the three states, along with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, to have implemented such a pro-people law. However, such a law has not been implemented in the states where the BJP is in power. This new law has been upheld in the Supreme Court,” the Chief Minister claimed.</p><p>He also claimed that the Congress government provided reservations in civil contracts for contractors belonging to SCs and STs for development works worth up to Rs 1 crore. The government has also allocated about 50 acres of land to many backward class mutts in the state, including 4.18 acres to the Valmiki Mutt in Bengaluru, he informed. </p><p><strong>Sites for SCs, STs</strong></p><p>Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi stated that the government plans to allot sites to people belonging to SCs and STs in the state, on a pilot project. The Social Welfare Department has already allocated Rs 40 crore for the initiative, and it awaits the Chief Minister’s approval. “If it is approved, sites measuring 1,200 sq ft will be allotted to SCs/STs so that Valmiki and Ambedkar colony would come up,” he added. </p><p>The minister further said that the long-pending demand of organising Durgotsava must be considered. </p><p>Maharshi Valmiki Gurupeetha Head Prasannananda Swami, Veerashaiva-Lingayat Panchamasali Peetha Head Vachanananda Swami, Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa, Raichur MP Kumar Naik, MLAs Basanagouda Daddal, K S Basavantappa, Raghu Murthy, N Y Gopalakrishna, D J Shantana Gouda and others were present.</p>
<p>Harihar: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asked Karnataka MPs to put pressure on the Centre to include enhanced reservation in the 9th schedule of the Indian Constitution so that people belonging to SCs and STs would benefit from it. “I will also visit Delhi in this regard,” he added.</p><p>He was speaking at the Maharshi Valmiki Fair-2026 organised by Shri Maharishi Valmiki Gurupeetha at Rajanahalli in the taluk on Monday.</p><p>“Our government passed a resolution urging the Centre to approve enhanced reservation for SCs and STs. But the Supreme Court is not in favour of it. I have always advocated reservations based on population. So, it had been increased for the benefit of SCs and STs. However, unless it is included in the 9th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, the effort will be in vain,” the Chief Minister observed. </p><p>Admitting the loopholes in the effective utilisation of funds for SCs and STs under the Special Component Plan (SCP) and Tribal Sub Plan (TSP), the Chief Minister said, “Our government introduced a new law in 2013 to ensure that grants are allocated to SCs and STs as per their population. Over Rs 4,2018 crore had been allocated under the scheme for 2025-26. During its four-year tenure, the BJP government spent Rs 1.10 lakh crore for SCs and STs, while the Congress-led government has spent Rs 1.17 lakh crore in just three years,” he said.</p>.Bring Karnataka SC, ST quota hike under Ninth schedule: Rudrappa Lamani.<p><strong>‘Karnataka leads’</strong></p><p>“We are proud that Karnataka is one among the three states, along with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, to have implemented such a pro-people law. However, such a law has not been implemented in the states where the BJP is in power. This new law has been upheld in the Supreme Court,” the Chief Minister claimed.</p><p>He also claimed that the Congress government provided reservations in civil contracts for contractors belonging to SCs and STs for development works worth up to Rs 1 crore. The government has also allocated about 50 acres of land to many backward class mutts in the state, including 4.18 acres to the Valmiki Mutt in Bengaluru, he informed. </p><p><strong>Sites for SCs, STs</strong></p><p>Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi stated that the government plans to allot sites to people belonging to SCs and STs in the state, on a pilot project. The Social Welfare Department has already allocated Rs 40 crore for the initiative, and it awaits the Chief Minister’s approval. “If it is approved, sites measuring 1,200 sq ft will be allotted to SCs/STs so that Valmiki and Ambedkar colony would come up,” he added. </p><p>The minister further said that the long-pending demand of organising Durgotsava must be considered. </p><p>Maharshi Valmiki Gurupeetha Head Prasannananda Swami, Veerashaiva-Lingayat Panchamasali Peetha Head Vachanananda Swami, Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa, Raichur MP Kumar Naik, MLAs Basanagouda Daddal, K S Basavantappa, Raghu Murthy, N Y Gopalakrishna, D J Shantana Gouda and others were present.</p>