Parliament Question: Scheduled Caste Welfare Schemes

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1442 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2026 SCHEDULED CASTE WELFARE SCHEMES 1442. SHRI SUDAMA PRASAD: Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government is aware of the observations made by Parliamentary Standing Committee regarding the surrender of 2,345 crore earmarked for Scheduled Caste welfare scheme, if so, the details thereof; (b) the details of funds allocated, released, utilised and surrendered during the last five financial years, scheme-wise; (c) the reasons for the under-utilisation of funds despite continuing demand for scholarships, livelihood support and development programmes, (d) whether any accountability mechanism has been fixed for such under-utilisation; and (e) if so, the measures taken to ensure timely utilisation of funds and effective delivery of welfare schemes to Scheduled Caste beneficiaries and the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE) (a) & (b): Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has submitted the Action Taken Report (ATR) on the observations made by 17" Report of Parliamentary Standing Committee including surrender of funds. The Scheme-wise details of funds allocated, expenditure incurred and surrendered for Scheduled Castes (SCs) welfare schemes during last five financial years are at Annexure. (c) to (e): The implementation and utilization of funds of various Scheduled caste welfare schemes are undertaken by the respective States/UTs. The release of funds is contingent upon several factors, including receipt of complete proposals, submission of Utilization Certificates, SNA SPARSH on-boarding wherever applicable and fulfillment respective guidelines of the schemes and norms of Department of Expenditure.In order to increase expenditure under the Schemes, internal reviews are undertaken at regular intervals as well as third party evaluations, social audit etc are also being conducted. For simpler and expeditious disbursement and to ensure effective targeting of the beneficiaries, the disbursement under the Scholarship Schemes is majorly done through DBT mode. Further, to ensure effective utilization of funds, the Ministry has taken various steps such as placing advertisements in national and regional newspapers, running Social Media campaigns and follow up with States/UTs. Also, the Schemes are regularly monitored by the Ministry through National level Chintan Shivirs, Regional Meetings and National Conferences with the stakeholders and State/UT officials. The Department also monitors the achievement of monthly and quarterly expenditure targets through regular reviews. These efforts are aimed at ensuring timely fund release, improving utilization of allocated funds.Annexure Annexure in respect of part (b) of the reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1442 on SCHEDULED CASTE WELFARE SCHEMES The details of funds allocated, expenditure incurred and funds surrendered during the last five financial years, scheme-wise are as under : FY 2021-22 to 2023-24 (Rs in Crores) 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 Sr.No|/Programme/Schemes BE RE |Expenditure|Surrender| BE RE _|Expenditure|Surrender| BE RE_ | Expenditure | Surrender 1 {Post Matric Scholarship for SCs | 3415.62 |4196.59} 1978.56 1437.06 |5660.00} 5660.00 | 4392.50 1267.50 | 6359.14 |5400.00} 5476.22 882.92 2 |National Fellowship for SCs 300 125 122.44 177.56 | 173.00} 159.00 114.25 58.75 163.00 | 188.00 183.14 NA 3 _|National Overseas Scholarship. 30.00 | 35.00 49.07 NA 36.00 | 50.00 75.44 NA 50.00 | 85.00 88.57 NA for SCs 4 |Top Class Education for SCs 70.00 | 70.00 84.72 NA 108.00} 108.00 85.67 22.33 111.00 | 100.00 83.84 27.16 5 |Free Coaching for SCs and OBCs | 50.00 | 30.00 14.98 35.02 47.00 | 27.00 18.41 28.59 47.00 | 14.82 7.76 39.24 6 |Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati 1800.00 |1800.00} 1820.32 NA 1950.00} 1062.39 164.00 1786.00 | 2050.00 | 450.00 471.12 1578.88 Abhyuday Yojana (PM AJAY) 7 |DAPSC 950.00 236.99 NA 8 |Strengthening of machinery for 600.00 |600.00) 610.11 NA 600.00 | 500.00 390.85 209.15 | 500.00 | 500.00 535.18 NA Enforcement of Protection of Civil Right Act 1955 and Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989 9 |Scheme of Residential Education | 200.00 | 63.21 38.04 161.96 | 89.00 | 89.00 51.01 37.99 104.65 | 90.00 81.59 23.06 for Students in High School in Targeted Area (SRESHTA) for SC 10 |Pre Matric for SCs and Other 725.00 | 725.00] 570.39 154.61 | 500.00} 500.00 208.62 291.38 | 500.00 | 430.00 446.64 53.36 11 |Assistance to State Scheduled Cast} 25.00 | 0.01 0.00 25.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.01 es Development Corporations 12 |Self Employment Scheme of Liber, 100.00 | 43.31 39.00 61.00 70.00 | 70.00 11.10 58.90 97.41 | 30.06 30.06 67.35 ation & Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers 13. |VISVAS Yojana (SC) 100.00 | 10.00 0.00 100.00 | 50.00 | 0.01 0.00 50.00 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01 14 [Venture Capital Funds for SCs 100.00 | 70.00 70.00 30.00 70.00 | 70.00 35.00 35.00 70.00 | 22.00 22.00 48.00 15 |Pradhan Mantri Dakshta aur 60.00 | 38.94 a3.21 26.79 40.00 | 40.00 8.90 31.10 43.73 | 60.00 32.74 10.99 Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi Total 7575.62 |7807.06| 5430.84 2144.78 |9393.01| 9285.40 | 5555.75 3837.26 |10095.94|7369.89| 7458.85 2637.09FY 2024-25 to 2025-26 FY 2024 (Rs in Crores) 2024-25 2025-26 . |Programme/Schemes BE RE |Expenditure|Surrender| BE RE __ | Expenditure | Surrender 1 |Post Matric Scholarship for SCs 6359.98 | 5500.00 | 5581.52 778.46 | 6360.00 | 6000.00 | 6208.88 151.12 2 |National Fellowship for SCs 188.00 | 212.00 209.50 NA 212.00 | 220.00 213.45 NA 3 |National Overseas Scholarship for SCs 95.00 95.00 74.18 20.82 130.00 | 110.00 54.89 75.11 4 |Top Class Education for SCs 110.00 | 103.00 103.26 6.74 110.00 | 112.00 EL7.20 NA 5 |Free Coaching for SCs and OBCs 35.00 18.00 17.68 UE SZ 20.00 7.00 9.87 10.13 6 |Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati 2140.00 | 800.00 736.28 1403.72 | 2140.00 | 1250.00 686.52 1453.48 Abhyuday Yojana (PM AJAY) 7 |DAPSC 0.00 8 |Strengthening of machinery for 550.00 | 500.00— 495.19 54.81 463.00 | 468.00 514.98 Enforcement of Protection of Civil Right Act 1955 and Prevention of Atrocities Act , 1989 NA 9 |Scheme of Residential Education for 133.07 | 110.00 109.78 23.29 140.00 | 140.00 127.93 Students in High School in Targeted Area (SRESHTA) for SC 12.07 10 [Pre Matric for SCs and Other 500.00 | 450.00 461.66 38.34 377,96 | S77.96 562.74 15:22 11 |State Sch. Castes Development 0.00 Corporations 0.00 12 |Self Employment Scheme of Liberation 116.94 | 50.00 35.64 81.30 130.00 | 100.00 96.25 & Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers ee es 13 |VISVAS Yojana (SC) 6.01 11.49 11.49 NA 24.57 24.57 24.32 0.25 14 |Venture Capital Funds for SCs 10.00 0.01 0.00 10.00 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01 15 |Pradhan Mantri Dakshta aur Kushalta 65.00 40.00 36.32 28.68 70.00 10.00 S122 Sampann Hitgrahi 38.78 Total 10309.00| 7889.50 | 7872.49 2436.51 |10377.54| 9019.54 | 8648.24 1729.30 ae 2K 2k ok