Date:01/02/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/02/01/stories/2007020120940400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Protest against misuse of funds

Staff Reporter

Forum demands White Paper on budgetary allocation

BANGALORE: Members of the Human Rights Forum for Dalit Liberation on Wednesday staged a demonstration in front of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) head office protesting against the alleged misuse of funds allocated towards the development of SC/ST communities. Shouting slogans against the BBMP authorities, the members, led by State convenor of the forum Basvaraj Kouthal, demanded a white paper on the civic body's budgetary allocations for SC/ST welfare activities.

Alleging that the BBMP officials had "siphoned off' crores of rupees meant for the welfare of the poor, Mr. Kouthal said the civic body had set aside Rs 43.68 crore from 2000 to 2006.

"Of this only Rs. 12 crore has been spent for the purpose it was meant for. The rest has been misused and diverted to other heads of accounts.

"This is unfair and we demand a judicial probe into the whole issue," he said.

BBMP Commissioner K. Jairaj should take stern action against the official responsible for "misutilisation" of the funds.

A separate ministry should be set up for the welfare of SC/ST communities, he added.

Memorandum

The members submitted a memorandum to the BBMP Deputy Commissioner (Administration) Venkataramana Nayak, who assured them that their demands would be looked into.