http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/article2649091.ece
VISAKHAPATNAM, November 22, 2011
Protest against diversion of SC, ST funds
Staff Reporter
Activists and leaders of Dalita Hakkula Porata Samiti (DHPS), A.P.
Vyavasayika Karmika Sangham, and A.P. Girijana Samaikya held a
demonstration at the Collectorate here on Monday in protest against
massive diversion of funds meant for SC,ST welfare and development
under the special component plan (SCP).
Funds allocated for SC, ST welfare in the State budget were being
diverted to other general schemes and projects in gross violation of
the spirit of SCP, they allege. Dalit and Girijan organisations had
been raising the issue at different forums and fighting against such
violations for quite some time but their agitations had remained a cry
in the wilderness, the leaders said.
They were of the view that SC and ST MLAs were unable to champion
their own communities' cause as they were all scattered in different
political parties and could not take on their leadership on this score
due to clash of interests both political and party wise.
The forum leaders and MLAs had been assured of justice by former Chief
Ministers N. Chandrababu Naidu and Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and present
Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy but none of the assurances were
fulfilled, .
The leaders said a solution to this problem lay in a protracted
struggle for which the multiple organisations in the State were
gearing up. DHPS district secretary B. Venkatarao said during the past
two decades Rs.21,609 crore of SC funds and Rs.5,000 crore of ST funds
had been diverted from among the allocated funds.
In the current 2011-12 budget of Rs.470 crore had been diverted from
the allotted funds of Rs.7,704 crore. Similarly, under the ST sub-plan
Rs.326 crore had been diverted to other projects.
The government had been using the diverted funds for outer ring road
and Hussein Sagar modernisation projects and several other schemes.
The government was violating its own order issued in 1980 creating an
SC,ST sub-plan component fund exclusively for the economic
emancipation of the socially backward sections.
Vyvasaya Karmika Sangam district president Shivalanka Kondala Rao and
Girijana Samaikya district secretary Bushanam demanded that government
should not allow the unspent funds allocated in the budget to lapse
but must be added to the next year budget.
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