SC issue notice to Centre, states on allocation of money for SC/ ST upliftment

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre and state governments on the use of money allocated for the upliftment of SC/ ST.

As per the plea filed in the apex court, the money allocated for the upliftment of SC/ ST community hasn't been utilised but instead returned back to the government.

In the report submitted by a petitioner named Sudhakar Bhanudas, nearly 2000 crores have been returned back to the government in past three yrs from designated fund.

Responding to the Right to Information (RTI) filed by the petitioner, the Centre replied that sufficient funds have been given to the states for welfare of the SC/ST community living below the poverty line.

The petitioner claimed that the Agricultural Land Purchase Scheme, which was initiated to provide land to the SC/ST community to uplift the standard of living, is only on papers.

Demanding the implementation of the Agricultural Land Purchase Scheme for the welfare of backwards community, he said both the government and administration is careless and has been shifting blame on each other.

As per the information received from the RTI, only Karnataka is implementing this scheme.