BJP holds stir after reports on Cong govt ‘diverting’ SCP/TSP funds for freebies

Shyam Sundar Vattam/NT

Bengaluru: Accusing the State government of cheating SC/ST communities by diverting funds meant for their upliftment, to the implementation of the five guarantee schemes, BJP activists led by former CM Basavaraj Bommai and MLC Narayanaswamy held a dharna at Freedom Park here on Friday.

On Thursday, the government came out with a statement regarding the diversion of funds allocated under SCP/TSP for the five guarantee schemes announced by the Congress Party in its election manifesto prior to the Assembly elections.

Accordingly, out of the total 11,144.47 crore diverted from these funds, the government had given Rs 5075 crore for Gruha Lakshmi, Rs 2779.97 crore for Annabhagya scheme, Rs 2410 crore for Gruha Jyoti, Rs 812 crore for Shakti scheme and Rs 67.50 crore for Yuvanidhi. Bommai said by diverting funds, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has done a grave injustice to the oppressed communities.

It was an unpardonable mistake committed by the government by utilizing the funds meant for the progress of SC/ST communities.

This shows that the government did not have the funds for the implementation of freebies due to which it had diverted funds from various departments.

Where was the need for the Congress Party to make such big announcements without calculating the money required for the five guarantee schemes, he questioned.

The former CM appealed to the SC/ST communities to launch a stir against the incumbent government for diverting the funds meant for their welfare.