Funds allocated for SC community spent elsewhere: Scheduled Caste Commission

The first ever audit of the budgets of 26 states by the Scheduled Caste Commission has found that for the financial year 2012-13, almost all states failed to spend allocated funds on "SC-specific" schemes. The report is yet to be tabled in Parliament.

"The expenditure on SC-specific schemes is just a small fraction of the total allocation to SCSP across the country," said PL Punia, SC Commission chairperson.

Budget guidelines state that ministries and departments must earmark funds under the SCSP at least in proportion to the community's population in the states. According to Census 2011, the SC community constitutes 16.6 per cent of the country's population.

In 2012-13, the 26 states were allotted Rs 80,310 crore for SCSP schemes. The audit found that Rs 61,480 crore of that was spent, but only Rs 9,920 crore, or just 12 per cent of the total allocation, was spent on SC-specific schemes. The rest was diverted to other schemes, according to The Indian Express.

State officials blame "faulty auditing" for this discrepancy, and say that it is difficult to separate funds for scheduled castes because infrastructure schemes such as roads, toilets, schools and drinking water covered the entire population, and that these projects should also fall under the SCSP schemes.

However, budgetary guidelines say that "only those schemes should be included under SCSP which ensure direct benefits to individuals or families belonging to SCs".

"SCSP funds are meant for SCs only, but are diverted to other areas," said Punia.

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot said: "We will act on the basis of the commission's report. We are calling all departments concerned and holding meetings with the states. We are trying, but still we continue to receive such complaints. We will take action."