Don’t divert SC/ST funds for guarantee schemes, Chalavadi tells Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy has urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not to divert the money meant for initiatives for the SC/ST communities to fund the Congress government’s flagship guarantee schemes.

In a three-page letter addressed to the chief minister, Narayanaswamy said that the government had diverted up to Rs 14,282.38 crore and Rs 11,144 crore, respectively, from the SCSP and TSP funds for the implementation of the guarantee schemes.

Chalavadi pointed out that the funds had been diverted despite a budgetary allocation of Rs 52,000 crore towards the guarantee schemes.

Questioning the rationale behind the government’s decision to divert funds, Chalavadi wrote, “Are the SC/STs not entitled to the benefits of the guarantee schemes, towards which Rs 52,000 crore has already been allocated? Why should the funds earmarked for their welfare be deducted for the flagship schemes?”

Chalavadi appealed to the CM to ensure that, starting with the next budget, no funds earmarked for the welfare of SC/STs are diverted to the guarantee schemes.