A Plan panel task force today recommended overhauling the guidelines for ensuring fool proof allocation of funds by Central ministries for scheduled caste and scheduled tribe welfare schemes. The task force headed by Planning Commission Member Narendra Jadhav has also suggested classification of ministries into four categories for earmarking funds for improving the living standard of SC/ST.
At present, all ministries are mandated to earmark 16.2 and 8.2 per cent of their plan expenditure for SC and ST sub plans, respectively. Presenting the recommendations of the task force to Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Jadhav said, “Only one ministry out of 68 central ministries has clearly earmarked funds for SC/ST sub plans, and we are not clear as to where the money is going.”
He said, “In the current year, Rs 68,000 crore was to be spent exclusively for SC/ST by the Central ministries, but the committee found that earmarking by various ministries was not clear enough to ensure that the intended benefit goes to the section.” Receiving the report Ahluwalia said the recommendation of the task force would reflect in the budgetary allocations for the next financial year.