Karnataka Dalit entrepreneurs decry ‘poor’ fund allocation

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Dalit Entrepreneurs’ Association has urged the government to increase the fund allocation in the Department of Industries and Commerce towards the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP). 

Only Rs 400 crore, or less than 1 per cent of the Rs 42,018 crore, has been earmarked under the SCSP/TSP towards such scheme as site allocation, soft seed capital fund, investment promotion subsidy and loan processing fee among others, association working president C G Srinivasan told a news conference here on Friday. 

Srinivasan explained that from 2017 to 2019, Dalits wishing to open shops and sites had a 50 per cent share in capital assistance. “This share was increased to 75 per cent in 2019 due to a lack of interest in entrepreneurship among Dalits. While this boosted entrepreneurship among Dalits with 2,873 members of SC communities gaining about 2,613 acres of land for entrepreneurial purposes, the Department of Industries and Commerce funds are still limited to 1 per cent,” he stated. 

He further claimed that Rs 850 crore in grants are still pending under various schemes. He also alleged that there has been a backlog of 271.8 acres of land allocation for Dalits under the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) since 2009. “There has been severe discrimination in the allotment of old industrial area land where about 25 per cent is reserved for entrepreneurs from SC/ST communities,” he said, adding that litigated, undulated and unusable lands were given to many Dalits. 

“Ultimately, many had to pay fines for not being able to start their businesses within the stipulated time because of the condition of lands allotted,” he said. 

The association also urged the government to look into corruption among KIADB officials who refuse to provide reservation for Dalit entrepreneurs.