Anti-Dalit face of the Badal govt thoroughly exposed: Bajwa

Saturday, 08/11/2014

http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=118145&boxid=59210&uid=&dat=2014-11-08

Tarn Taran : The Punjab Congress President Partap Singh Bajwa took strong exception to the non-utilisation of the funds earmarked for the welfare of the dalits and said it reflected the anti-dalit face of the Parkash Singh Badal government.

“The recent report submitted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on the utilisation of funds by the state government meant for the dalits has exposed the Badal government so far as the implementation of the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan is concerned which has put Punjab at the bottom among the states. It is shocking that the Badal government has failed to utilise 33 per cent of this plan component”, he said in a statement.

He said although the state had dalit population of about 32 per cent, only 28.55 per cent of the plan outlay was reserved under the SCSP in 2012-13. Out of the 14,000 crore annual plan, this outlay should have been 4466 crore as against 4939 crore earmarked by the state government. Even out of this allocation, only 67 per cent was spent on the welfare of the dalits. The funds were diverted to other schemes at the cost of the dalits.

He said it was due to this anti-dalit attitude of the Badal government that an amount of about Rs 1300 crore for scheduled castes remained unspent in 2012-13 while this amount was Rs. 1420.93 crore in the previous year.

He asked whether the Bharatiya Janata Party, the alliance partner in the state, had ever took up this issue with the senior alliance partner or not as it was a matter of serious concern and reflected the total attitude of the government towards 32 per cent of the population in the state. The funds were meant for the overall development of the dalits including providing infrastructure and construction of houses for the homeless, besides scholarships to the scheduled castes and backward classes students.

Bajwa asked the government to explain as to where the funds had been diverted. He demanded a high level inquiry into the non-utilisation of the funds saying such a lapse could not be unintentional. He alleged the Badal government had exhibited its discriminatory attitude by diverting the funds meant for scheduled castes to other schemes.

He also slammed Badal Government for the proposed increase in VAT to 12.5 per cent for diesel by Punjab Government which will increase the price by Rs 2.25 per litre. He said that Punjab Congress will oppose this tooth & nail and will launch an agitation, if imposed.

He said that the fuel prices in the international market are decreasing which will reduce the VAT collection on diesel. The Punjab Government is planning a big loot on people of Punjab to offset the decrease in VAT collection on diesel due to price reduction by oil companies.