Rs 4,500 cr for Dalit welfare, Rs 2,600 cr for Muslims
Manoj C G Posted online: Saturday , Feb 27, 2010 at 0144 hrs
New Delhi : The Congress's ongoing drive to win back Dalits and
Muslims, evident in general secretary Rahul Gandhi's visits to Dalit
homes and Digvijay Singh's visit to Azamgarh, found a reflection in
the Budget proposals on Friday with an increased allocation of 80 per
cent for the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry and 50 per cent
for the Minority Affairs Ministry.
Plan allocation for the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry, which
mainly deals with the welfare of SCs, increased from last year's Rs
2,500 crore to Rs 4,500 crore while for the Minority Affairs Ministry,
which is concerned more with Muslim welfare, the figure rose from Rs
1,740 crore to Rs 2,600 crore. For Bundelkhand, an additional
allocation of Rs 1,200 crore was made.
The total plan allocation under different heads meant for the welfare
of the SCs increased from Rs 1,788 crore last year to Rs 3,142 crore.
Allocation for post-matric scholarship for SC students was more than
doubled from Rs 818 crore to Rs 1,675 crore. Though the Ministry also
deals with the welfare of OBCs, a small portion of the total
allocation is earmarked for the section. That too, however, saw a jump
from Rs 218 crore to Rs 413 crore.
Pradhanmantri Adarsh Gram Yojna, the scheme for integrated development
of SC-dominated villages in the country, was allocated Rs 388 crore
compared to Rs 98 crore in the last Budget. The scheme announced in
the last Budget would be taken up as a pilot project in some states,
and Uttar Pradesh, where the Congress is eyeing to regain power,
figures prominently.
Similarly, for pre-matric scholarships for minorities, the allocation
was more than doubled, with the government earmarking Rs 400 crore
under this head in comparison to Rs 176.99 crore allocated in the last
Budget. Post-matric scholarships and merit-cum-means scholarships saw
considerable increase too, with allocation under post-matric
scholarships going up to Rs 234 crore from Rs 132 crore.
Multi-Sectoral Development Programme for Minorities being implemented
in 90 minority-concentrated districts of the country, too, saw a
significant jump from Rs 873 crore to Rs 1,223 crore.
"With the much-needed enhancement in allocation, we will now be able
to carry out revision in the rates of post-matric scholarships for SCs
and OBCs," said Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Mukul Wasnik.
Asked if the enhanced allocation would help the Congress woo the
"Dalit-Muslim" votebank, he said: "The Congress has always been
committed to the empowerment of the deprived sections. The enhanced
allocation reaffirms our commitment to the deprived sections."
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Rs 4,500 cr for Dalit welfare, Rs 2,600 cr for Muslims
Manoj C G Posted online: Saturday , Feb 27, 2010 at 0144 hrs
New Delhi : The Congress's ongoing drive to win back Dalits and
Muslims, evident in general secretary Rahul Gandhi's visits to Dalit
homes and Digvijay Singh's visit to Azamgarh, found a reflection in
the Budget proposals on Friday with an increased allocation of 80 per
cent for the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry and 50 per cent
for the Minority Affairs Ministry.
Plan allocation for the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry, which
mainly deals with the welfare of SCs, increased from last year's Rs
2,500 crore to Rs 4,500 crore while for the Minority Affairs Ministry,
which is concerned more with Muslim welfare, the figure rose from Rs
1,740 crore to Rs 2,600 crore. For Bundelkhand, an additional
allocation of Rs 1,200 crore was made.
The total plan allocation under different heads meant for the welfare
of the SCs increased from Rs 1,788 crore last year to Rs 3,142 crore.
Allocation for post-matric scholarship for SC students was more than
doubled from Rs 818 crore to Rs 1,675 crore. Though the Ministry also
deals with the welfare of OBCs, a small portion of the total
allocation is earmarked for the section. That too, however, saw a jump
from Rs 218 crore to Rs 413 crore.
Pradhanmantri Adarsh Gram Yojna, the scheme for integrated development
of SC-dominated villages in the country, was allocated Rs 388 crore
compared to Rs 98 crore in the last Budget. The scheme announced in
the last Budget would be taken up as a pilot project in some states,
and Uttar Pradesh, where the Congress is eyeing to regain power,
figures prominently.
Similarly, for pre-matric scholarships for minorities, the allocation
was more than doubled, with the government earmarking Rs 400 crore
under this head in comparison to Rs 176.99 crore allocated in the last
Budget. Post-matric scholarships and merit-cum-means scholarships saw
considerable increase too, with allocation under post-matric
scholarships going up to Rs 234 crore from Rs 132 crore.
Multi-Sectoral Development Programme for Minorities being implemented
in 90 minority-concentrated districts of the country, too, saw a
significant jump from Rs 873 crore to Rs 1,223 crore.
"With the much-needed enhancement in allocation, we will now be able
to carry out revision in the rates of post-matric scholarships for SCs
and OBCs," said Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Mukul Wasnik.
Asked if the enhanced allocation would help the Congress woo the
"Dalit-Muslim" votebank, he said: "The Congress has always been
committed to the empowerment of the deprived sections. The enhanced
allocation reaffirms our commitment to the deprived sections."
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