Union govt should reconsider fund allocation to SCs/STs in Budget: Thiruma
Recalling the union government’s move to stall post-matric scholarships for Scs, STs, and minorities, in 2018, the MP said that the VCK party had strongly opposed the move and escalated the issue to the concerned ministry.
VCK Chief Thol Thirumavalavan
CHENNAI: VCK chief and Chidambaram MP Thol Thirumavalavan expressed his dismay over the fund allocated to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/STs) in the recent Rs 48.20 lakh crore Union Budget and demanded the BJP-led central government to reconsider it.
"The union government should have allocated Rs 7 lakh crore for the sub-plan for SCs, who constitute 15% of the population of the country. However, the government has allocated only Rs 2 lakh crore. Hence, it should reconsider the fund allocation for the SC sub-plan in proportion to the SC population. Similarly, it should allocate funds for STs and minorities as well," Thirumavalavan said, while participating in a debate on Monday over the recently-announed Union Budget for the fiscal year 2024-2025.
Recalling the union government’s move to stall post-matric scholarships for Scs, STs, and minorities, in 2018, the MP said that the VCK party had strongly opposed the move and escalated the issue to the concerned ministry. Following this, the government had assured to allocate Rs 35,000 crore till 2025. “Going by its promise, the government should have allocated Rs 7,000 crore per year. But it did not happen. This is unacceptable,” he said, and added that the scheme should be continued without any timeframe to benefit youth from marginalised and oppressed sections of the society.
Thiruma also condemned the union government for reducing budget allocations to higher education by Rs 10,000 crore.
Pointing out the existence of a separate ministry for Adi Dravidars and minorities in Tamil Nadu, the MP urged the Union Government to create a separate ministry for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minorities to cater to their needs.
Speaking on the rise of crime against women and SC/STs, Thiruma said that honour killing incidents have risen in states like Uttar Pradesh and have spread to southern states as well. Hence, the government should enact special legislation to curb honour killing, he demanded.
The VCK leader also called the Union Budget "an appeasement exercise of the BJP government" that favoured its allies and was against the spirit of federalism. “The budget was prepared to please their allies. It was a biased one,” he said, alluding to the special fund allocations to the states of Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.