Question : Financial Assistance for Study Rooms for SCs

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 336
TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2020

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR STUDY ROOMS FOR SCs

336. SHRI KUMBAKUDI SUDHAKARAN:
SHRI V.K.SREEKANDAN:

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Union Government has received any request from the State Government of Kerala seeking financial assistance of Rs. 260 crores for construction of study rooms for the upliftment of Scheduled Castes communities in Kerala and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has taken any decision on the said request;

(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(d) whether it is a fact that many State Governments have felt that the grant provided under Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP) is insufficient to carry out many schemes for the upliftment of downtrodden people and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)
(a) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment had received a letter in July, 2019 from a Hon''ble Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), enclosing therewith a representation dated 10.06.2019 of Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes & Backward Classes, Law, Culture, & Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Kerala addressed to Hon''ble Minister, Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. The request in the representation was for providing special central assistance of Rs. 260 crores to take up the construction work of 13000 study rooms for Scheduled Caste students in Kerala.
(b)&(c) Yes, Sir. The Ministry, keeping in view the fact that it has no scheme for providing grants for construction of study rooms, expressed its inability to provide central assistance to the Government of Kerala for the same.
(d)&(e): As per the guidelines issued by the erstwhile Planning Commission , the States/UTs are obligated to apportion a part of their total Plan outlay annually to SCSP in the proportion of their SC population, and formulate and implement such schemes which extend direct and quantifiable benefits to Scheduled Caste persons. The States can increase the funds under SCSP, if it is so required.
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