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New Delhi:
Home Minister P. Chidambaram Tuesday admitted that Delhi
government has violated guidelines in the diversion of plan funds
for scheduled castes and tribes to finance projects for
Commonwealth Games.
"In our view of the guidelines of 2006, these appear to be wrong,"
Chidambaram said in Rajya Sabha, during a discussion on the
alleged diversion of funds from scheduled castes and tribes for
the Commonwealth Games.
Earlier in the month, Rajya Sabha had witnessed disruptions by
members of the Bahujan Samaj Party over the issue, which came to
light through a Right to Information application.
As per the information given by Delhi government through RTI,
nearly Rs.744.35 crore from Delhi's special component plan (SCP),
which is meant for improving the standard of living of the poor
sections of the community through various government schemes and
programmes, was diverted to the Games projects.
Chidambaram said that Delhi government had got around Rs.8,000
crore for five years from 2006-7 to 2009-10, under the special
component plan.
He noted, that as was common practice with various other state
governments, Delhi had divided this fund into two categories,
divisible and indivisible. The divisible category was for schemes
which affected the scheduled castes and tribes directly.
"While Rs.983 crore was in the divisible category, the rest -
Rs.7,100 crore - was in the indivisible (category). Out of that
(indivisible category), Rs.678 crore was contributed to CWG
projects," he said.
"This seems to be prima-facie wrong," Chidambaram admitted, but
added: "This happens not just in NCT, but in all states."
He said that Delhi government had told him that the amount
diverted will be added to the plan funds for the next financial
year.
The minister said that the Planning Commission was seized of the
matter and had set up a committee to look into the diversion of
funds in all states.
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