New Delhi, Aug 9 (IANS) The actual expenditure under the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Castes (DAPSC) has remained below the revised budget estimates every year since 2020-21, with fund utilisation falling to 85.65 per cent in 2025-26, the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment said on Sunday.
The government said it has intensified monitoring of DAPSC allocations across 38 ministries and departments to ensure optimal utilisation of funds earmarked for the welfare and development of Scheduled Castes.
“The government has informed the Rajya Sabha that, as per the NITI Aayog Guidelines, 2017 for the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Castes (DAPSC), earlier known as the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCSP), 38 Ministries/Departments of the government are earmarking funds across various schemes for the welfare and development of Scheduled Castes,” it said.
Replying to a question raised by Rajya Sabha member Golla Baburao, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said that actual expenditure under DAPSC has consistently remained below the Revised Estimates (RE) during every financial year from 2020-21 to 2025-26.
According to data shared by the Ministry, the utilisation of revised allocations stood at 81.61 per cent in 2020-21.
The figure improved to 91.22 per cent in 2021-22 and 91.90 per cent in 2022-23. Utilisation further rose to 93.83 per cent in 2023-24 before easing to 92.57 per cent in 2024-25 and 85.65 per cent in 2025-26.
The government said that funds earmarked under DAPSC are meant exclusively for the welfare of Scheduled Castes.
However, it noted that full utilisation is not achieved in some cases because of the general nature of certain schemes being implemented by ministries and departments.
Athawale said the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment closely monitors the utilisation of DAPSC funds by the obligated ministries and departments through periodic review meetings chaired by the Minister and Secretary of the department.
–IANS
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