[ZESTCaste] ‘BBMP not spending allocated funds on Dalits’

http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/20/stories/2009122059400300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

'BBMP not spending allocated funds on Dalits'

Staff Reporter

Rs. 323.62 crore in spill-over funds from previous years has remained untouched

Only Rs. 10.88 crore has been spent on educational programmes

Bangalore: The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is not
interested in spending funds earmarked for the welfare of the
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, charged M. Venkatesh, Bangalore
District Convener of the Dalit Bahujan Movement.

"Of the Rs. 483 crore earmarked under the 18 per cent Scheme (for
SC/ST welfare programmes) this year, it spent only Rs. 55.12 crore. If
funds were to be calculated as per the new 22.75 per cent scheme,
there would be an additional Rs. 100 crore with BBMP," he said at a
seminar here recently. According to information provided under Right
to Information, the BBMP had allocated Rs. 32 crore for educational
programmes, of which only Rs. 10.88 crore has been spent. "However, we
later found out it has given Rs. 10 crore to the Department of Social
Welfare, which had sought funds for payment of fees and scholarship
for students.

But the BBMP, to date, has received no documentary evidence from the
department. Hence, we don't know if these students come under the BBMP
area," Mr. Venkatesh said.

A fraction

Of the Rs. 32 crore earmarked for economic programmes for SC/ST
beneficiaries, only Rs. 3.43 crore was spent. A sum of Rs. 79.38 crore
was earmarked for works under the 18 per cent schemes such as Bhagya
Jyothi, Sooru/ Neeru Yojane.

However, the BBMP constructed toilets, concretised roads and took up
drain repair for Rs. 40 crore. Of a sum of Rs. 32 crore allotted for
purchase of land and construction of houses and hostels, only Rs. 10
lakh was spent.

Spill-over funds from previous financial years amounting to Rs. 323.62
crore still remain untouched, he charged.

Mr. Venkatesh said that BBMP authorities had earlier assured him that
the funds would be completely utilised in this fiscal.

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