Amaravati, Jun 30 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Minister Pinipe Vishwarup on Tuesday directed various government departments' heads to 100 per cent expend the funds allocated under Scheduled Castes Component (SCSP).

He said that Rs 19,430 crore was allocated in 2020-21 under SCSP to 44 departments, out of which only Rs 13,672 crore was exhausted.

Vishwarup said Rs 17,403 crore have been earmarked under SCSP for fiscal 2021-22 to 42 departments.

He claimed that the current fiscal's quantum is 10 per cent (Rs 1,667 crore) higher and 16 per cent more (Rs 2,402) than the allocation in 2019-20.

According to the Minister, the government spent Rs 4,641 in the current fiscal until May.

Incidentally, 12 departments spent more than 76 per cent of those funds while nine of them did not expend even a penny.

"As Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is according utmost importance for the upliftment of SCs, all departments must take care to expend 100 per cent of the funds allocated for this purpose," said Viswarup.

He highlighted that the next review meeting on this subject will be chaired by Reddy and directed all the heads of the departments which were lagging behind to exhaust the funds.