<p>Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will hold a meeting on Monday with ministers and Congress legislators from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities. Discussions are expected to centre around the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan (SCSP/TSP Act), for which Rs 42,018 crore was allotted in the 2025-26 Budget. </p><p>Ever since the Congress came to power in 2023, the opposition has been attacking it for “diverting” SCSP/TSP funds for guarantees. </p><p>Though the government has defended the move as legal (section 7C of the SCSP/TSP Act allows the government to allocate funds for general sector schemes like education, health, guarantees and so on), there have been demands from Dalit organisations and even from within Congress to only use the funds for asset creation and universal capacity building.</p><p>Dalit activists have also urged the government to provide a comprehensive report on how the scheme has helped specific Dalit communities since its implementation in 2013.</p>.Two killed in chemical tank explosion in Karnataka's Mandya.<p><strong>Escalation during CLP meet</strong></p><p>The issue is said to have blown up during the recent Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting, where MLC Sudham Das is said to have lashed out at lacunae in the implementation of the SCSP/TSP Act.</p><p>Das is said to have argued that the three major goals of the Act — improving the Human Development Index (HDI) of SC/ST communities and bridging their gap with other communities, conducting an annual socio-economic audit and filing cases and punishing those willfully neglecting their duty — were not satisfied.</p><p>The MLC’s aggressive posturing is said to have led to a meeting of SC/ST legislators of Congress and ministers, culminating in Monday’s meeting.</p><p>According to sources, the SC/ST legislators and ministers are expected to have an internal meeting before meeting the chief minister in the evening. </p><p>DH has learnt that Das and Malavalli MLA PM Narendraswamy are expected to lead the charge in the meeting. Social Welfare Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa, Home Minister G Parameshwara and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge are also expected to attend it. </p><p>According to sources, the delegation is expected to hand over a written list of demands to the chief minister ahead of the latter’s record-extending 17th Budget as finance minister.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will hold a meeting on Monday with ministers and Congress legislators from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities. Discussions are expected to centre around the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan (SCSP/TSP Act), for which Rs 42,018 crore was allotted in the 2025-26 Budget. </p><p>Ever since the Congress came to power in 2023, the opposition has been attacking it for “diverting” SCSP/TSP funds for guarantees. </p><p>Though the government has defended the move as legal (section 7C of the SCSP/TSP Act allows the government to allocate funds for general sector schemes like education, health, guarantees and so on), there have been demands from Dalit organisations and even from within Congress to only use the funds for asset creation and universal capacity building.</p><p>Dalit activists have also urged the government to provide a comprehensive report on how the scheme has helped specific Dalit communities since its implementation in 2013.</p>.Two killed in chemical tank explosion in Karnataka's Mandya.<p><strong>Escalation during CLP meet</strong></p><p>The issue is said to have blown up during the recent Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting, where MLC Sudham Das is said to have lashed out at lacunae in the implementation of the SCSP/TSP Act.</p><p>Das is said to have argued that the three major goals of the Act — improving the Human Development Index (HDI) of SC/ST communities and bridging their gap with other communities, conducting an annual socio-economic audit and filing cases and punishing those willfully neglecting their duty — were not satisfied.</p><p>The MLC’s aggressive posturing is said to have led to a meeting of SC/ST legislators of Congress and ministers, culminating in Monday’s meeting.</p><p>According to sources, the SC/ST legislators and ministers are expected to have an internal meeting before meeting the chief minister in the evening. </p><p>DH has learnt that Das and Malavalli MLA PM Narendraswamy are expected to lead the charge in the meeting. Social Welfare Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa, Home Minister G Parameshwara and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge are also expected to attend it. </p><p>According to sources, the delegation is expected to hand over a written list of demands to the chief minister ahead of the latter’s record-extending 17th Budget as finance minister.</p>