The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), a member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam alliance governing Tamil Nadu, has announced its support for a “people’s draft Bill” that intends to introduce a special legislation to govern the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) funds in the state. Drafted by a coalition composed of NGOs including the Adivasi Solidarity Council (ASC), the Dalit Arthik Adhikar Andolan (DAAA), and the Social Awareness Society for Youth (SASY), the proposed legislation is the result of a consensus among activists and stakeholders on the need for a special law to govern these funds and establish accountability.
At a meeting organised by the National Coalition on SCP-TSP Legislation (NCSTL) Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, February 28, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan announced that the party would carry forward the people’s movement by extending support for the proposal. “We will ensure that this law is passed. It is the need of the hour,” said the leader, who is also a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Chidambaram.
Titled Tamil Nadu Special Component plan for Scheduled Castes and Tribal Sub-Plan for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes - Development Authorities (Planning, Allocation and Utilization of Financial Resources), the proposal is similar to existing Acts in Telangana, Karnataka, and Rajasthan. A copy of the proposal has already been submitted to Chief Minister MK Stalin.
Incidentally, VCK’s announcement comes a few days after an RTI response revealed that Tamil Nadu’s expenditure under the SCSP has declined drastically after the DMK-led alliance came to power. TNM and other news outlets had reported on how an RTI response received by a Madurai-based activist, S Karthik, showed that the state government is sitting on Rs 10.44 crore of SCSP funds, with barely a month left for the fiscal year 2022-23 to end. The data also showed a decline in expenditure under the preceding All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government.
The ‘people’s draft Bill’ seeks to ensure that funds for and in accordance with the state’s Dalit and Adivasi populations are earmarked before the annual, five year, and perspective plans are put in place. It emphasises that the funds should be spent to achieve “economic liberation, educational parity, and equality for Dalit and Adivasi communities on par with socially advanced castes.”
One of its primary suggestions is the establishment of nodal bodies in the form of a State Scheduled Castes Development Authority (SSCDA) and the State Scheduled Tribe Development Authority (SSTDA). These bodies are expected to be responsible for formulating and approving the SCSP and TSP funds. District-level SCDAs and STDAs have also been proposed.
When it comes to the kind of schemes to be enacted using the SCSP and TSP funds, the draft wants the village panchayats to play a crucial role. It says that proposals are to be obtained under the Gram Panchayat Development Planning (GPDP) as far as possible, and also lays down guidelines for such proposals.
As per the proposal, only programmes and schemes that will directly and exclusively benefit Dalit and Adivasi communities, institutions, and infrastructure are to be funded by SCSP and TSP. The focus is to be laid on the empowerment and developmental needs of Dalit and Adivasi children in terms of education, physical safety, emotional security, and nutrition, besides cultural, intellectual, and artistic creativity.
Moreover, a tiered approach from individual, family, and community levels is suggested for development schemes focusing on the betterment of Adivasi and Dalit villages.
The SSCDA and the SSTDA must hold pre-Budget consultations with Dalit and Adivasi stakeholders in various fields such as agriculture, rural and urban unorganised sectors, sanitation work, entrepreneurs, academicians, activists, and NGOs working with women, children, and persons with disabilities, among others.
A “Basket of Priority Schemes” is also proposed. This includes concerns such as housing and civic amenities, reclamation of Dalit and Adivasi lands, group irrigation for Dalit and Adivasi agricultural lands, cremation grounds and such. Health care including catering for natural disasters and pandemics, school to higher education, training centres for competitive exams, professional education such as in business management, science, and technology have also been included.
It also recommends a focus on preservation of tribal cultures and autonomy, in addition to schemes focused on the Recognition of Forest Rights Act.
The proposal gives detailed guidelines for the two proposed nodal bodies — the SSCDA and the SSTDA. They are to be constituted by the state government and will be responsible for formulating and approving the SCSP and TSP funds. By extension, they will also sanction the funds for the schemes to be implemented. The two bodies are to then allocate the funds to the government departments under which the various schemes fall. They also have the power to re-allocate funds from one department or agency to another, as it sees fit.
Besides proposing the exact makeup of the SSCDA and SSTDA, the draft recommends safeguards and transparency mechanisms to be set up in order to monitor the expenditure of the SCSP and TSP funds. The Chief Minister and the Minister for Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare (AD&TW) are supposed to be the ex-officio chairperson and member respectively. Apart from them, there are to be eight members including a deputy chairperson. The deputy chair should have expertise in one or more of the following categories: finance and public policy, academics, and rural and developmental economics. Four of the remaining members are to be Dalit and Adivasi rights activists.
The proposal similarly lays out the roles and powers of the district-level SCDAs and STDAs, along with guidelines for their constitution.
At the meeting on Tuesday, Thirumavalavan emphasised that using the SC/ST sub plans for general schemes such as laying common roads and building public water tanks do not benefit Dalit and Adivasi communities. The funds are not meant for such purposes, he said.
“If a bus stop is built, it will be situated a kilometre away from the Dalit colony. Buildings under government schemes will not come to Dalit habitations. This is how things are today. Even a water pipe won’t be extended to the colony. There has to be focused work on Dalit and Adivasi communities, for which separate funds need to be allocated. A proper channel needs to be established to implement this,” he added.
Ramesh Nath of SASY; Richard Devadoss, who is the co-convenor of the coalition that drafted the Bill; VCK MLA Sinthanai Selvan; Mallepally Laxmaiah, Buddhavanam Project Special Officer from Telangana; and Irular activist Prabha Kalvimani also spoke at the meeting.