The SC, ST Sub-Plan, popular as ‘Indiramma Kalalu’ has not been conceived with an eye on elections but to bring about a qualitative change in the lives of Dalits and tribal people, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy said here on Wednesday.
Responding to the poser of some Telugu Desam members about what the Congress Government would do for SC, STs in nine months before the elections, Mr. Reddy retorted, “ the sub-plan is not meant for electoral gains. Your party may bring schemes for elections. We do it for permanent good.”
Replying to a short discussion on SC, ST sub-plan in the Legislative Council on Wednesday, he said as there was no perceptible change in the lives of SCs and STs even after allocation of funds based on their population, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi mooted a mechanism to ensure the funds reached only the targeted groups.
A.P. was the first State to constitute a committee and formulate guidelines, headed by Deputy Chief Minister C. Damodar Raj Narasimha to ensure transparency, remove corruption and prohibit diversion of funds meant for all-round development of SCs, STs. Of over Rs.12,000 crore allocation for SC, STs in the Plan budget, apart from Rs.7,000 crore to Rs.8,000 crore Central grant, funds would be spent based on scientific surveys and where it was needed the most.
Capital expenditure
Mr. Reddy also said 40 per cent of allocated funds would be for capital expenditure to improve infrastructure under different schemes.
The Sub-Plans would be further monitored by the separate SC, ST Commissions to be constituted shortly. He admitted that delay had taken place in the bifurcation of SC, ST Commissions.
