Jammu, Dec 17:
THE Social Welfare Department has released the revalidated unspent balance for the financial year 2017-18 under Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCA to SCSP). According to the Secretary Social Welfare, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone, SCA to SCSP amounting to Rs 2.71 crore has been released to the respective District Development Commissioners. He said the DDCs have been asked to submit current year’s proposal under the scheme by 24 December 2018. Pertinently, SCA to SCSP is a central scheme under which 100% grant is given to the States/UTs as an additive to their Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP). Objective of the scheme is to give thrust to family-oriented schemes for economic development of SCs below the poverty line, by providing resources for filling the critical gaps and for providing missing vital inputs so that the schemes can be more meaningful. Since the schemes/programmes for SCs may be depending upon the local occupational pattern and the economic activities available, the Sates/UTs have been given full flexibility in utilizing SCA with the only condition that it should be utilized in conjunction with SCP and other resources available from other sources like various Corporations, financial institution etc. State Governments have been given flexibility in choice of schemes to be implemented out of Special Central Assistance, within the overall framework of the scheme.
