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Budget 2020-21: Scheduled Caste allocation 'shortfall' Rs 421,754 crore, highest since 2014

By A Representative
In a quick analysis, three civil society organizations, Dr Ambedkar Cooperative Federation, National Alliance of People’s Movements and Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch have claimed that the Union budget's shortfall for Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCP) is the highest since 2014-15 -- a whopping Rs 421,754 crore.
Providing figures of budgeted allocation ever since Narendra Modi came to power, the figures show that, as against the SC population of 16.6%, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allocated just about 2.47% or Rs 83,257 crore out of the total budget of Rs 3,042,230 store. This suggests a shortfall of Rs 421,754 as against the actual requirement of Rs 505,010 store if one takes into account proportional allocation to SC population.
"Similarly", says a statement issued by the three organizations, "The population of Scheduled Tribes (STs) in India is 8.6% and their share in budget allocation is just 1.76%. If we go by their population share, they deserve an allocation of around Rs 26.1 lakh crore in budget which is actually only Rs 53,000 crore."
The percentage of allocation for scheduled tribes under the Tribal Sub-Pan has decreased from 1.90% on 2019-20 to 1.76% in 2020-21
The analysis further says, "The percentage of allocation for scheduled tribes under the Tribal Sub-Pan (TSP) has also decreased from 1.90% on 2019-20 to 1.76% in 2020-21", adding, "The total percentage expenditure for SC/ST together under TSP/SCP has decreased from 4.82% to 4.50 %."
According to the analysis, "Another remarkable fact is that in the year 2018-19, Rs 2,276 crore and in 2017-18, Rs 2,901 crore was unspent under the SCP allocation. For Scheduled Tribes, Rs 2,245 crore remained unspent under the TSP head in the year 2018-19."
It comments, "While a major chunk of population strives for basic amenities like health and education, the situation being grimmer for backward classes like SCs and STs, the funds for them lay unutilized. The tall claim of Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas falls flat when it comes to the marginalized classes of the society."

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