Belgaum: Emotional Anjaneya causes flutter by breaking down in Assembly

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Belgaum

Belgaum, Dec 5: An highly emotionally charged Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya created a mild flutter in the ongoing State Assembly session while speaking on the discussion to various questions from members pertaining to the Karnataka Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan (Planning, allocation and utilization of Financial Resources) Bill, 2013.

The Congress minister Anjaneya, who came to the house wearing a suit, during the course of the reply broke down in tears while talking about the plight of the people of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe community in the State.

However, members cutting across party lines, tried to pacify the minister and described him as a genuine fighter for the cause of upliftment of Dalits in the State and hailed the bill.

The minister recalled contributions of the Bharata Ratna B R Ambedkar, the architect of Indian Constitution and the revered idol of the Dalits, said he would live up to the expectations of the people and implement the Act effectively for utilization of funds sanctioned to SC and ST people welfare.

The Bill, drafted on the Andhra Pradesh model, envisages allocation of state plan outlay for the SCs and STs sub-plans in proportion to the population of SCs and STs; make allocated funds non-divertible and spending for the schemes directly benefiting the SCs ad STs people and other matters.

Anjaneya tabled the Bill and it was passed after nearly three-and-half hour debate.

More than a dozen of members participated in the debate.

The officials found guilty of diversion of funds or non-utilization of funds are liable for an imprisonment for six months, Anjaneya said.

In the case of unspent amount out of allocation in a particular year, he said the amount would be added to the next year allocation but should not be carried beyond that year.

The Bill provides for constitution of the State Council for development of the SC and the ST people and the council is headed Chief Minister.

The proposed State Council will have: Ministers for Social Welfare, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Higher Education and Revenue, five MLAs or MLCs or MPs belonging to SC/ST as nominated by the government and four other officials of different departments as members.

The term of the nominated MLAs or MLCs or MPs would be 30 months and the Council would meet twice a year, the minister explained.

The Council would advise the government on all policy matters related to SC/ST sub-plans; suggest measures for planning and implementation of schemes; and approve the annual SC/ST sub-plans proposals of various departments.

The Bill also envisages setting up of a nodal agency headed by the Social Welfare Minister and seven secretaries of different departments are its members.

The main functions of the nodal agency is to evaluate and appraise sub-plans, prepare sub-plans, review execution of schemes, identify impediments, co-ordinate with other departments and directions of the agency would be binding on the departments.

The district monitoring committee in each district would be responsible for implementation of plans.

The committee is headed by Deputy Commissioner and other members are: ZP CEO, MLAs, ZP president, Joint Director of Agriculture, Executive Engineer of PWD, District Health Officer, district level officers of various departments, district social welfare officer and district tribal welfare officer or project director for the STs.