The Intellectual Circle for Dalit Actions (ICDA) has urged the Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi to prevail upon the Puducherry Government to bring out a legislation and prepare guidelines for implementing the SC/ST sub-plan in the Union Territory.
In a memorandum, Anbuselvam, coordinator of ICDA, said that though the government had been given flexibility in choice of schemes to be implemented out of the sub-plan funds within the overall framework of the scheme, it remained in a sordid state and most of the funds were either diverted or returned unspent.
The government had not formulated any guidelines for implementing the SC/ST sub-plan.
There was an urgent need to check that the funds meant for Dalits and STs were not diverted for other purposes.
The sub-plan has to be implemented in letter and spirit, he said, adding that the policies and budget should be aimed at their welfare.
“A special Act would try to replace this with a proactive planning effort which will deal with how to address identified gaps within a specified time-frame so that accelerated development of SCs and STs can take place in Puducherry.”
