In a move that will earmark a part of the state’s annual budget for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes (SCs) in proportion to their population in Punjab, chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday gave the go-ahead for putting a new Bill before the cabinet, thus paving the way for its enactment in the next session of the Vidhan Sabha.
The Punjab State Welfare and Development of Scheduled Castes (Planning, Earmarking and Utilization of Financial Resources) Sub-Allocation Bill, 2021 will also enable the government to put in place an institutional mechanism to formulate and monitor the implementation of the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCSP), and matters connected with it, according to an official spokesperson.
The legislation, when passed in the assembly, will provide the state government a platform to ensure the overall development of the SCs through effective implementation of various welfare schemes under the SCSP. Punjab has the highest percentage of SC population in the country at 31.94%.
Reiterating his government’s firm commitment to the socio-economic and educational development of the SC population, the CM said the bill will give a big boost to his government’s efforts to ensure the welfare of this segment. The directorate of scheduled castes sub-plan would be the nodal agency to ensure formulation of SCSP, besides monitoring its implementation, the spokesperson said.
The competent authority would also accord approval to the SCSP simultaneously with the state annual budget of the relevant financial year before submitting it to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. There would be a single mechanism for flow of funds under SCSP, and the finance department would remain the controlling authority for this purpose.
{{/usCountry}}The competent authority would also accord approval to the SCSP simultaneously with the state annual budget of the relevant financial year before submitting it to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. There would be a single mechanism for flow of funds under SCSP, and the finance department would remain the controlling authority for this purpose.
{{/usCountry}}The spokesperson said the progress of SCSP would be reviewed and monitored at state, district and block levels, as per procedure and by the committee as prescribed. Each department shall ensure transparency and accountability at all levels in the implementation of the SCSP. The efficacy of the legislation would be ensured by the systematic and exhaustive procedures on all aspects with respect to the formulation and implementation of the SCSP in the state.