Instead of constituting development corporations for different castes, the State government should consider establishment one common development corporation for the benefit of the economically weak from all castes, suggested Deputy Chairman of Planning Board B.J. Puttaswamy.
Fielding reporters’ queries on the recent announcements by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to set up development corporations for Marathas and Veerashaivas-Lingayats, Mr. Puttaswamy said the trend of setting up exclusive development corporations for different castes would lead to the State government incurring a huge expenditure.
He said he had already spoken to Mr. Yediyurappa in this regard and added that he would follow it up with him shortly.
The common development corporation could have economically weak beneficiaries from all the communities. For, economically weak persons were found in backward as well as forward castes, he reasoned.
Pointing out that if development corporations were set up for each of the estimated 200 different castes, the State government would incur a huge financial burden.
The constitution of each development corporation comes with the appointment of a chairperson, an office, a car, besides at least five members --- with their TA and DA --- and their expenditure would have to be borne by the State government, Mr. Puttaswamy pointed out. At a conservative estimate, the State government would have to spend ₹3 to ₹4 crore on each development corporation, he said.
He recalled that former Chief Minister D. Devaraj Urs set up the first development corporation for the backward classes to help the youth from the working class of backward communities. Later, development corporations for SCs and STs, besides minorities too were set up. However, Mr. Puttaswamy said Mr. Yediyurappa was not the only Chief Minister to announce new development corporations. Former Chief Ministers H.D. Kumaraswamy and Siddaramaiah too had set up such corporations for different communities.
Though he was against setting up of exclusive development corporations for castes, Mr. Puttaswamy hoped that the discriminatory attitude of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti towards Kannadigas would be replaced by harmony with the establishment of the Maratha Development Corporation.