The Tamil Nadu government will introduce a legislation to ensure effective implementation of the Schedule Castes Sub Plan (SCSP) and the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP), and provide adequate funds for it.
Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, who made the announcement while presenting the State Budget for 2023-24 on Monday, said the Bill would be introduced in the next session of the Assembly after consultations with various stakeholders.
The announcement has come against the backdrop of long-pending concerns raised by political parties and civil society organisations regarding the problems in the implementation of the SCSP and the TSP. Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), an ally of the ruling DMK, recently said it would organise protests to urge the government to bring a separate legislation.
Funds proportional to the State’s SC and ST population is earmarked for the SCSP and TSP from the total welfare expenditure plan outlay of the State. The government came under criticism for the reported decline in the utilisation of funds set aside under the sub plans.
New scheme
The Budget included few other announcements towards the welfare of SC and ST communities. A new scheme – ‘Iyothee Thass Pandithar Habitation Development Scheme’ – will be launched to ensure basic amenities and comprehensive socio-economic development in “Adi Dravidar habitations” in urban and rural areas. A total of ₹1,000 crore would be spent for the scheme over the next five years, the Finance Minister said.
Referring to another scheme, announced by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, to end manual scavenging and make conservancy workers entrepreneurs by providing them adequate machinery, the Minister said the scheme would be initially implemented on a pilot basis in the Chennai metropolitan area.
To address the low share of persons from SC and ST communities availing of various subsidies to promote entrepreneurship, he said ‘Annal Ambedkar Business Champions Scheme’ would be launched with an allocation of ₹100 crore for 2023-24. The Minister said the scheme would provide 35% capital subsidy and 6% interest subvention for loans to procure machineries.
He said four hostels for SC, ST students, at a cost of ₹100 crore, will be built in Madurai, Coimbatore, Tiruchi and the Nilgiris. Importantly, he said the maintenance of these hostels would be outsourced to professional agencies. All such hostels are now maintained by the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare department staff.
