Experts raise concerns over lack of targeted SC/ST schemes in Budget

NEW DELHI: Even as the government has allocated an unprecedented Rs 95,000 crore for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the budget, experts have raised concerns over the lack of targeted schemes. They also have punched holes in the new schemes planned for financial year 2018-19.

The government has earmarked Rs 95,754 crore (Rs 39,135 crore for STs and Rs 56,619 crore for SCs) in Budget 2018-19. The outlay, which is a 12.35% increase over Rs 85,227 crore earmarked in 2017-18, is for 305 schemes for STs and 279 schemes for SCs. However, experts said the fine print of the Budget is not so encouraging.

A study by National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) reveals that 50% of the earmarked funds are either not relevant to the community or not accessible. Speaking to ET, Dalit rights activist and NCDHR general secretary Paul Divakar said: "Out of the allocated amount, only Rs 48,321 crore are for targeted schemes, the rest have no relevance nor are accessible to the community. The design of the schemes is a matter of grave concern as they are not designed to address the needs of the community."

Divakar pointed out that there are schemes like road connectivity to Jharkhand that have got Rs 2,700 crore in budget. "These are not targeted spends for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes. Jharkhand is a Tribal-dominated state, but Rs 2,700 crore could have been better utilised for targeted schemes," he said.

An analysis of schemes introduced in financial year 2017-18 revealed that out of 36 new schemes only eight were for the direct benefit of SCs; and out of 70 new schemes for STs only 15 were benefiting them directly. "On examination of these schemes, we found that many schemes were mere extension of the general welfare schemes," NCDHR study has found.