CAG says Tribal Sub Plan funds diverted

In addition, delays were observed in release of funds at various levels from state governments to nodal and implementing agency. 

The Tribal Sub Plan, initiated by the Centre in the Fifth Five-Year Plan (1974-79), aims to channelise the flow of outlay and benefits from the general sectors in the Central ministries and departments for the development of Scheduled Tribes both in physical and financial terms. 

The idea behind the TSP was to ensure that the share of resources spent for the benefit of Scheduled Tribes was proportionate to their share in the population of the country. However, audit noted that up to 2010 there was no linkage between earmarking of funds under TSP and benefits flowing to the tribal people. 

Efforts were made by the Planning Commission to earmark part of funds for TSP in all sectors and schemes. Despite this, audit found that the mechanism put in place was ‘’still inadequate’’. About non-maintenance of separate account, CAG said that even though the funds from the Central level were released in trifurcated head — General/SC/ST — to the states and further to district implementing agencies, the account of expenditure was not maintained component-wise at each level. 

The states or districts furnished consolidated utilisation certificates without indicating component wise details of expenditure resulting in the exact expenditure remaining ‘’unascertainable’’.