The National Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Commission on Saturday July 28, sought a reply from the Tamil Nadu government regarding the allegations of Scheduled Caste Sub Plan funds being misused towards general welfare schemes. The Commission has directed the Chief Secretary to inquire into the allegations that the sub plan funds were being directed towards the Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thogai Thittam—a welfare scheme meant for women and submit its report within 15 days.
The Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thogai Thittam, is a basic income scheme for women introduced by the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). A flagship scheme for the party, it aims to provide a monthly fund of Rs 1000 to women. The scheme is much-touted by the DMK as a move towards gender justice. The amount of Rs 12,000 per year is seen by the government as an ‘entitlement’ for their labour. The guidelines for registering for the Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thogai Thittam were launched earlier this month.
The Commission has also said that it has taken cognizance of these allegations made by Anbuvendan, the state general secretary of the Indian Republic Party, who brought the issue to the notice of the Commission. The Commission has warned that if the state government fails to file its response within the stipulated time, a formal court summons may be issued.
In his petition to the Commission, Anbuvendan cites the government order (GO), issued on July 10 regarding the basic income scheme for women. According to the GO, one of the sources to allocate funds for the Rs 7000 crore Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thogai scheme, includes the SCSP funds. Anbuvendan further says in his petition that such action by the Tamil Nadu government is against the provisions of the policy. He adds that, “The funds have been allocated for the socio-economic development of the Adi Dravidar and tribal people. The spent on basic facilities and economic development including education, employment, housing, road facilities, electricity and drinking water facilities, and special policies have been formulated and guidelines have been issued for the same and the funds allocated under this scheme should not be spent on other projects.”
The accusation of alleged misuse, comes in the wake of another set of allegations earlier this year. An RTI reply filed by a Madurai-based activist S Karthik revealed that as of February this year, the state government did not utilise Rs 10.44 crore of SCSP funds, with barely a month left in the fiscal year 2022-23, at the time. The data had also shown a decline in expenditure under the preceding All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government.
In the weeks following the RTI response, at a meeting organised by the National Coalition on SCP-TSP Legislation (NCSTL) Tamil Nadu on February 28, MP and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president Thol Thirumavalavan, had spoken about the need for special legislature to govern the SCSP funds. In that regard, during the state budget session earlier this year, the state government had announced its intention to introduce a Bill to govern the SCSP and the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP). This Bill, according to then Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan, is to be introduced in the next Assembly session.
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