UP biggest defaulter in spending on SC welfare schemes

New Delhi, June 23 (UNI) Taking serious note of the large amount of the Special Central Assistance(SCA) for Scheduled Caste sub-plan remaining unspent, the Centre has directed the states to furnish by August the information on coverage of SC families under the schemes taken up under the plan.

According to figures provided by the Ministry, Uttar Pradesh has the largest unspent amount, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.

The Centre has asked the states to put in place a mechanism for timely release of the SCA to the channelising agencies.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment recently told state welfare secretaries that it was unhappy over the fact that utilisation of the SCA by some of the states was slow.

It has asked the state to establish an efficient monitoring mechanism at state level to oversee the programmes implemented through the special assistance.

Of the 470 Cr earmarked for SCA under the current financial year, Rs 171.21 Cr has been released. However, first intsallment of the SCA could not be released to 10 states and Union Territories as they had substantial amount of the previous allocation left with them unutilised.

The Special Central Assistance(SCA) to Scheduled Castes sub plan is a scheme under which 10 per cent grant-in-aid is given as an additive to states and Union Territories which formulate the plan.

The only condition with regard to SCA is that it should be spent for programmes of economic development to enable Sc families to cross the poverty line by providing them sustainable income generating means of livelihood.

The SCA fills the critical gaps in the states Scheduled Castes sub-plans where the flow of funds was not adequate.

UNI