Haryana govt earmarks seprate funds for SC families

Chandigarh, Mar 2 (UNI) The Haryana Government has decided to earmark a separate budget head, the Scheduled Castes Sub Pan (SCSP), whereby funds earmarked would be allocated only for those schemes which ensure direct benefits to Scheduled Castes families of the State.

Giving the information today, Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Kartar Devi said various departments of the state would identify new areas of intervention and would formulate new programmes for development of Scheduled Castes and the funds earmarked under SCSP would be non-divertible. The Minister said the outlays of those departments which do not utilise their respective SCSP funds would be reduced and would be passed on to those departments. She informed that the Department of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes would act as the nodal department for implementing the Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP).

Ms Devi said under a few new initiatives, the State Government had increased the rate of incentive being given to Panchayats for their outstanding work for the welfare of Scheduled Castes. The amount had been increased from Rs 5000 to 50,000 with effect from April one last year and a provision of Rs 30 lakh had been made under this scheme for the current financial year and an equal amount was proposed to be spent during the year 2008-09. Ms Kartar Devi also informed that the financial assistance at the rate of Rs 8000 to 10,000 was being provided to Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes candidates for obtaining coaching through reputed institutions for entrance examination for admission in medical, engineering courses and for various competitive examination for different posts.

Similarly, tailoring training is imparted to Scheduled Castes widows and girls through 87 community centres functioning at block level, under which a sum of Rs 100 per month as scholarship is given and after the completion of one year training a sewing machine is also provided to each trainee free of cost, she added.

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