The allocation for Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP) in Punjab has been hiked by whopping 27 per cent to Rs 8,624 crore, exclusively for the welfare of Scheduled Castes population in the state's budget.
Punjab has the highest percentage of SC population amongst all the states of the country. The SC population in the state is 88.60 lakh which is 31.94 per cent of total population of 2.77 crore in the state as against 16.6 per cent SC population in the country.
A sum of Rs 8,624 crore has been allocated for SCSP which is part of Punjab's Annual Plan of Rs 25,479 crore for 2016-17, as per budget documents.
The size of SCSP for 2016-17 has been pegged at Rs 8,624 crore which is 33.85 per cent of total state plan outlay of Rs 25,479 crore for 2016-17, as per Scheduled Castes Sub Plan.
Punjab government had made an allocation of Rs 6,764 crore for SCSP for 2015-16.
Punjab Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa yesterday presented the budget at Vidhan Sabha here.
SCSP aims to ensure adequate benefits for socio-economic and educational development of SC both in physical and financial terms by providing funds out of total allocation of state plan in proportion to the percentage of SC population in the state.
In the SCSP, SAD-BJP led Punjab government has earmarked Rs 5,817 crore, Rs 802 crore, Rs 940 crore and Rs 1,063 crore for health & housing, social security programme, education, training & skill development and economic development programme respectively, despite "tight" fiscal situation.
"During 2016-17, out of SCSP allocation of Rs 8624 crore, the funds amounting to Rs 2,065 crore are likely to be spent as centre share under various centrally sponsored schemes. In addition, special central assistance of Rs 70 crore is likely to be utilized depending upon the grant to be released under central sector scheme," as per documents.
In the state budget, the Finance Minister has announced to provide youth of SC and BC families interest free education loan upto Rs 5 lakh for the duration of the course through the Central Cooperative Banks, among new initiatives taken for SC welfare.
