The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Diversion of funds denied

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 25, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Diversion of funds denied

Special Correspondent

Appoint high-level committee to monitor schemes: DPI

M. Karunanidhi

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Thursday made it clear that steps would be taken to ensure that there was no diversion of funds earmarked for the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) to other schemes.

Intervening in the debate on the demand for grants for Adi Dravidar and Welfare Department, Mr. Karunanidhi referred to the remark of K. Selvam (Dalit Panthers) that SCSP funds were diverted to other schemes unconnected to the welfare of the Dalits.

If the claim was found to be true, he would talk to the officials concerned, he said.

"I take the responsibility to see that not even a small portion of the funds allotted for improving the status of the Scheduled Castes (SC) is diverted [to other schemes]." It had been the practice to use the funds allocated under one head for schemes under another head, he pointed out.

Mr. Selvam said the Central Planning Commission had given 19 guidelines for the use of SCSP funds. He also commended the State Government's decision to allot Rs. 1,126.89 crore under the "divisible scheme" for 2006-2007, which was much higher than the allocations made for the SCSP last year.

He pleaded for appointment of a high-level committee headed by the Adi Dravidar Welfare Secretary to monitor the schemes implemented under the SCSP.

Replying to the debate, Minister for Adi Dravidar Welfare A.Tamilarasi said that for the first time in the history of the State, the Government had instituted a "Special State Assistance Scheme" by allocating Rs. 25 crore for 2006-2007. The scheme, to be implemented through the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation, was aimed at extending the benefits now availed by the Hindu SC population to the SCs converted to Christianity also.

Employment- oriented training programmes would be conducted for Adi Dravidar youth in food processing, catering technology, communication skills and personality development, she said.

Grants to the tune of Rs. 8 crore would be provided to 13,000 beneficiaries belonging to 650 self-help groups (SHGs). Funds to the tune of Rs. 27.50 crore had been earmarked as grants for self-employment initiatives by 30,000 SHG members.

An amount of Rs. 7 crore would be disbursed to 6,000 youths under the individual beneficiaries programme. Allocation of Rs. 1 crore for training in information technology for 500 youths, earmarking Rs. 2.56 crore for training 2,000 youths in computer software, allotting Rs. 3 crore for imparting special vocational training for 2,300 youths were among the new programmes announced by the Minister. As part of measures to put an end to the practice of manual scavenging and rehabilitating the 10,000 identified persons, Rs.58.45 crore would be spent, she said. An additional Rs.2.65 crore had been provided for distributing churidhars for girls and full pants for boys studying from Standard VI to XII during 2006-2007.

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