The Central Government is cutting the budget provisions of SC-ST instead of giving a broad form to their rights.

This is said by State Congress President Keshav Mahato Kamlesh, Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore, former Finance Minister Rameshwar Oraon and Congress Legislature Party leader Rajesh Kachhap to the Central Government through a press conference.

Addressing the media persons Keshav Mahato Kamlesh alleged that in the current budget, 3.4 percent and 2.6 percent have been allocated for SC and ST respectively, due to which Scheduled Castes have suffered a budget loss of Rs 11.70 lakh crore and Scheduled Tribes have suffered a budget loss of Rs 5.57 lakh crore. Congress had promised to make a central law on SC-ST sub-plan in the 2025 election manifesto, he added.

The Congress State President said that the basic objective of STP and SCSP is to accelerate the development of Scheduled Castes and Tribes so that the gap in development parameters can be reduced compared to the rest of the society. Sub-schemes were launched by Indira Gandhi in 1975-76 and 1979-80 with the aim of providing income opportunities for these communities, eliminating poverty and unemployment, increasing access to education, health, housing, protecting the rights of the community and preventing exploitation, he added.

Mahato said that if the Central Government wants to work for the upliftment of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes, then the Government should make a law to strengthen the Scheduled Tribe Sub Plan and Scheduled Caste Sub Plan.

Radhakrishna Kishore said that it is necessary to make a law to make the sub-schemes effective. It had started during the UPA regime, but the process could not be completed due to the 2014 elections. He said that during the financial years 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24, the Central Government provided Rs 3515.11 crore to Jharkhand under the Scheduled Tribe Sub Plan and Rs 2475.49 crore under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan, while this amount should have been a minimum of Rs 10,000 crore.

Rameshwar Oraon said that the amount of the sub plan is being misused. Many states divert this amount and spend it on other schemes. Giving an example, he said that in one State bullets were purchased for the police with the money of TSP and in another state the headquarters of State Transport was built. He said that Rahul Gandhi's demand for making a law is justified and this will ensure the proper use of the fund.

Rajesh Kachhap said that the Raghuvar Government built a green corridor for the Global Summit and the airport with the amount of TSP and SCSP, which is a violation of the rights of the tribal community. He said that with the enactment of the law, development schemes will reach the ground level and the areas of these communities will develop equally. He also said that the rights given to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes under Article 275 (1) of the Constitution have become defunct in the absence of a law. 

Media in-charge Rakesh Sinha, President Satish Paul Mujni, spokesperson Sonal Shanti, Khurshid Hasan Rumi and Jagdish Sahu were also present at the press conference.