The study has found that the budgetary allocations made were never proportionate to the population of the Scheduled Caste (SC) in Gujarat. (Representational) The study has found that the budgetary allocations made were never proportionate to the population of the Scheduled Caste (SC) in Gujarat. (Representational) A study on the implementation of the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCSP) in Gujarat has revealed that the state witnessed an underspending to the tune of Rs 5,068 crore of the budgetary allocations under the plan in the last nearly 30 years. The study, conducted by Ahmedabad-based Pathey Budget Center, has also found that the budgetary allocations made were never proportionate to the population of the Scheduled Caste (SC) in the state, which is in violation of the guidelines of the plan. Gujarat has an SC population of around 7 per cent, which is 40.74 lakh out of the total population of 6.04 crores. The revelations have come amid growing demands for a special legislation to ensure proper implementation of SCSP in the state by Dalits. “One of the guiding principles for strategic plan for the welfare and development of Scheduled Castes…was to earmark the financial outlay proportionate to the SC population from the state’s Plan outlay. The budgetary data of state’s Plan Outlay and budgetary outlay and expenditure for SCSP reveal that the state never even made 7 per cent of budget outlay and expenditure for SCSP in the last 38 years,” the report states. According to the study, in the Sixth Five Year Plan (FYP) (1980-85), an expenditure of Rs 95 crore was made against the SCSP plan outlay of Rs 139 crore. There was an under spending of Rs 44 crore. Similarly, during the Seventh FYP (1985-90), the expenditure was Rs 160 crore against an outlay of Rs 161 crore. Further, during the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th FYP, the SCSP expenditure witnessed an under spending of Rs 201 crores, Rs 426 crores, Rs 1,392 crores and Rs 3,044 crores, respectively. The report also states that only during the 8th FYP, the SCSP expenditure surpassed the plan outlay of Rs 31 crore by Rs 40 crore. The report has indicated that all these expenditure figures under SCSP include ‘notional’ expenditure (expenditure on projects in which the SCs are not the direct and exclusive beneficiaries) while suggesting the formulation of a legislation for effective implementation of the SCSP. “One possible remedy could be to formulate an Act (legislation) for implementing SCSP for ensuring the proportionate financial outlay, ensuring more of direct benefits and preventing notional expenditure with community monitoring for ensuring the transparency and accountability measures,” the report stated. “For the development and welfare of Scheduled Castes, the SCSP should be converted into legislation to ensure the Budget Justice to SCs with provisions like non-diversion of budget outlay under each Major head, ensuring direct benefits to SCs with minimum notional expenditure,” the report stated. Pathey Budget Center is a private organisation that specialises in budget analysis. For all the latest Ahmedabad News, download Indian Express App

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