A slew of schemes are likely to be announced in the State Budget for the welfare of Dalits as part of the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of B.R. Ambedkar.
According to official sources, villages with more than 50 per cent Scheduled Caste population are likely to be declared as model villages and named after the Dalit icon.
Allocation of funds for construction of houses under Dr. Ambedkar Awas Yojna is expected to be increased from Rs. 1.5 lakh to Rs. 2 lakh per house in rural areas.
The Social Welfare Department is planning to seek higher allocation for Dr. Ambedkar Development Corporation. A sum of Rs. 50 crore is likely to be allocated for setting up a Babu Jagjivan Ram National Research Centre on five acres near Magadi, on the outskirts of Bengaluru.
The department as a whole is expected to get Rs. 1,500 crore additional allocation compared to the previous year (Rs. 6,547 crore was allocated for 2015–16). Minister H. Anjaneya is expected to make efforts to create employment opportunities, improve facilities in hostels and residential schools, and increase monthly food expenses for students residing in hostels.
Dalit organisations have expressed anguish over the delay in setting up of the Rajya Safai Karmachari Abhivrudhi Nigama, which was announced in the 2015–16 budget for the development of safai karmacharis and pourakarmikas.
“Rules for the Karnataka Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan Act have not been framed even after several appeals. The very purpose of the Act has got defeated and some of the provisions of the Act are being misused” M. Venkatesh, president of the Dalit Bahujana Chaluvali, alleged.
