Government has admitted in the Rajya Sabha that diversion of funds meant for the welfare of SC/STs to Commonwealth Games projects by the Delhi govt was “wrong” and efforts would be made to bring them back to the SC/ST Fund.

“In my view prima facie that using Rs 678.91 crore out of Schedule Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) to contribute for CWG appears to be wrong,” Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Tuesday.

Responding to members’ demand, he said this money spent from the SCSP would be brought back to the welfare fund.

The minister at the same time maintained that the fund is given to states in two categories divisible and indivisible and the diversion of the fund from indivisible category has been happening in many states.

Earlier, the opposition parties targeted the government saying it is “shameful” and “betrayal of Dalits”.

Chidambaram said the Planning Commission has constituted a committee headed by one of its members Narendra Jadhav to re-examine how the guidelines of the plan panel on the SCSP Tribal Sub Plan can be implemented properly.

Chidambaram said the Delhi government has stated that as per the guidelines of the Planning Commission they have to ensure their contribution to the SCSP is equal to the size of the SC population, which is 16.9 percent as per 2001 census.

He said funds earmarked by the state government for the divisible category of the SCSP which directly goes to schemes for welfare of the SC was Rs 983.50 crore out of which Rs 945.94 crore has already been spent.

About the indivisble category of SCSP fund, the minister said Rs 678.91 crore of the total fund of Rs 7,100 crore has been contributed to the CWG related projects.

In his statement, Chidambaram said 17.33 percent of the SCSP funds has been contributed to the CWG projects that are considered beneficial to the people including the SC population.

Taking strong exception to Chidambaram’s statement, Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley said the CWG is not a project, which directly or indirectly goes to the benefit of the SC. He also demanded an inquiry into the issue.

Brinda Karat (CPI-M) said the Home Minister’s statement is adding “insult to injury” and sought to know whether the Planning Commission had approved this diversion.

She wondered how the Dalits are to benefit from Queen’s baton relay.

Satish Chandra Mishra (BSP) said the diversion shows the anti-Dalit policy of Congress and demanded that the money wrongly spent on CWG should be returned.

D Raja (CPI) said the divisible and indivisible categorisation of SCSP funds is a deceptive ploy to divert funds.