Economic Times: New
Delhi: Monday, June 24, 2013.
The central
ministries and departments have been diverting funds meant for targeted tribal
sub-plan (TSP) to universal schemes or programmes that have little to do with
the welfare of tribals, ET has found out from information gathered through the
Right to Information Act.
Regulation
and development of mines, technology mission on jute, regional exploration,
computerisation of Public Distribution System, and supply of drugs and
contraceptives are just some of the activities funded by the Centre over the
years in blatant violation of rules - all in the name of tribal welfare.
An RTI
application filed by ET has revealed that funds allocated under TSP, a subplan
that makes it mandatory for 28 central ministries to earmark a certain
percentage of their total outlay for tribal welfare programmes, have even been
lapsing as the departments concerned have not bothered to frame targeted
schemes for tribals.
Most
ministries furnished detailed responses to multiple applications filed with
each line ministry to gauge how TSP had been faring, revealing that most
ministries had randomly allocated these funds meant for tribal welfare to
universal schemes such as computerisation plans, teachers' trainings or Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyan. One of the biggest spenders is the human resource development
(HRD) ministry.
The
department of school education and literacy under the ministry revealed in its
response that it had allocated 55% of the total TSP in universal schemes such
as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and 25% under mid-day meal schemes in schools. These
programmes, for which the government has earmarked a big quantum of money, are
implemented all over India.
Other glaring
examples of ministries shirking their responsibility towards tribal development
are schemes of the ministries of coal and mines. The coal ministry has spent
TSP funds on regional exploration, detailed dril ling, conservation and safety
of coal mines. Similarly, the mines ministry has utilised the funds under
non-ferrous mining and metallurgical industries.
A few
departments, such as the Indian Bureau of Mines, candidly admitted that they
did not have the expertise to frame schemes for tribal development and their
funds have been lapsing. "IBM is a scientific and technical organisation
under Ministry of Mines. As such within its sphere of activities IBM has
neither scope nor any expertise to formulate a scheme for utilisation of funds
under TSP as per guidelines of Planning Commission and Ministry of Tribal
Affairs.
During the
years 2011-12, 4% of the Plan Budget of IBM is under TSP. IBM could not utilise
this Budget during 2011-12 and 2012-13 and had to surrender it at the end of
the year," the department admitted.
When ET
shared the findings with Tribal Affairs Minister KC Deo, he came down heavily
on the ministries and said there was an urgent need to streamline the way the
ministries were spending these funds.
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