Bangalore: Valmiki seer Prasannananda Puri has leveled serious accusations against the Karnataka government, alleging that it is diverting funds intended for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) to support its five guarantee schemes. The seer expressed his concerns in Chitradurga, stating, "We will not obstruct your welfare schemes or challenge your government's stance. The nation's progress is tied to the development of its people, including the poor, SCs, STs, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). We support the promises made in your manifesto and their implementation. However, we oppose the misuse of funds allocated specifically for SCs and STs."

The five guarantee schemes, which were a major focus of the Congress party's campaign during last year's assembly elections, include several initiatives aimed at providing financial relief and support. These schemes are: Shakti, which offers free bus rides for women; Anna Bhagya, which provides an additional five kilograms of rice to ration card holders; Gruha Lakshmi, which grants a monthly allowance to women heads of households; Gruha Jyothi, which ensures free electricity for households; and Yuva Nidhi, which offers a monthly unemployment allowance of ₹3,000 for graduates and ₹1,500 for diploma holders.

The Congress-led government, under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, is facing accusations of reallocating more than ₹14,000 crore from funds originally set aside for SC and ST welfare. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has responded to these allegations by issuing a notice to the Karnataka government. The notice follows media reports claiming that the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) funds have been redirected to support the guarantee schemes.

In response to the NCSC notice, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar defended the government's actions, asserting that all procedures are being followed legally. He remarked, "Everything is being conducted according to the law. We have enacted a law that mandates specific spending on designated communities. There is nothing improper about this, and similar laws have been implemented in states like Andhra Pradesh."

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