The Hindu : New Delhi News : SC/ST funds diverted for the Games: NGO

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Friday, Jul 16, 2010
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SC/ST funds diverted for the Games: NGO

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Expenses for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games have not just overshot by a huge margin the budget that was initially presented, but funds that were meant exclusively for the welfare of reserved categories too have been “illegally diverted” by the Delhi Government to pay for the Games, a non government organisation alleged on Thursday.

The Housing and Land Rights Network has alleged that based on the replies to their queries under the Right to Information, it has come to light that Rs. 571 crore that was part of the Special Component Plan of the Delhi Government and meant exclusively for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes has been diverted for the Games.

“Over the period from 2006-07 to 2009-10 the budget meant for the SCP has been illegally used for funding the Games. RTI queries have revealed that in the same period Delhi Government's Department for the Welfare of SC/ST/OBC/Minorities diverted money from the Scheduled Caste sub plan of Delhi that amounts to Rs. 744.354 Crore,” said Miloon Kothari, former UN Special Rapporteur and Executive Director of HLRN.

He went on to add: “This practice shows a serious lapse in the functioning of the Delhi Government and exposes the complete lack of monitoring functions that the Central bodies are supposed to play.”

While the official estimates say the Games will cost Rs. 10,000 crore, unofficial estimates said HLRN officials are pegged at Rs. 60,000 crores, including the round-the-clock security cover for the city, the venues and the players.

Paul Divakar, general secretary of the National Dalit Campaign for Human Rights said only 18 Ministries have been allocating funds for the SCP, but are putting in much less than the required allocation. “These are the Games of the rich, by the rich and for the rich, financed by the money of the poor and the needy. Costs for the Games have escalated more than 2,000 percent. Initially we were told that the cost of the Games will be Rs. 1,620 crore, now we hear another Rs.700 crore is being sought and the BCCI has been asked for Rs. 100 crore,” said Shalini Mishra of the Housing and Land Rights Network.

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