Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Criticizes Union Government Over Dalit Welfare Funds
Bengaluru, Karnataka: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has criticized the Union Government for not properly implementing the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan/Tribal Sub-Plan (SCSP/TSP) schemes at the national level. He questioned the moral authority of the Centre to challenge the state government on this issue.
Siddaramaiah pointed out that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has called for questioning the Karnataka Government regarding SC/ST welfare. He stated, “If you care so much about Dalits, implement the SCSP/TSP scheme, and allocate 25 percent of the Union Budget in proportion to the Dalit population, then come to question us. Until then, it would be wise for you to remain silent.”
He highlighted that Karnataka’s budget for the current year is Rs 3,71,383 crore, with Rs 39,121 crore allocated for SCSP/TSP schemes. In contrast, the Union Government’s budget is Rs 48.21 lakh crore, with only Rs 2,90,401 crore allocated for the development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Siddaramaiah also mentioned that the Congress Party in Karnataka included the SCSP/TSP Act in their 2013 election manifesto and implemented it in 2014-15. He noted that the allocation for Dalit welfare increased significantly after the Act’s implementation.
He criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for consistently rejecting the demand to implement the SCSP/TSP Act at the national level. Siddaramaiah also highlighted various measures taken by the Karnataka Government for Dalit welfare, including increasing reservations for Scheduled Castes and Tribes, reserving government contracts for SC/ST contractors, and providing subsidies for industrial plots allocated to SC/ST entrepreneurs.
Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused BJP MP Anurag Thakur of “abusing and insulting” him during a discussion on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha.
Doubts Revealed
Karnataka CM -: CM stands for Chief Minister. The Chief Minister is the head of the government in a state in India. In this case, Siddaramaiah is the Chief Minister of Karnataka.
Union Government -: The Union Government is the central government of India, which is responsible for the entire country. It is different from state governments, which manage individual states.
Dalit -: Dalit is a term used in India to describe people who belong to the lowest caste in the traditional Hindu caste system. They have historically faced discrimination and are also known as Scheduled Castes.
Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan/Tribal Sub-Plan (SCSP/TSP) -: These are special plans in India aimed at improving the welfare of Scheduled Castes (Dalits) and Scheduled Tribes (indigenous people). They ensure that a part of the budget is specifically used for their development.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman -: Nirmala Sitharaman is the person in charge of the financial matters of the country. She manages the money and budget of the Indian government.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi -: Narendra Modi is the head of the government of India. He is responsible for running the country and making important decisions.
SCSP/TSP Act -: This is a proposed law that would make it mandatory for the government to allocate funds specifically for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes at the national level.
