Record all schemes' benefits for Scheduled Caste: Centre to bankers committees

The union ministry of finance has written to the State Level Bankers Committees (SLBCs) to record all benefits released under the Union government's schemes for Scheduled Caste individuals, to enable monitoring of aid for targeted beneficiaries, said people aware of the details.

The letter comes in the wake of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) pointing out that there is insufficient data to monitor whether the benefits are reaching the intended beneficiaries.

Tailored schemes for SC and Scheduled Tribe communities, which include aid through loans, scholarships and other financial instruments, are cited by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government as an illustration of the union government’s social welfare policies.

The letter, which comes ahead of the assembly elections in states such as Punjab, where caste plays a key role, is aimed at collating data to buttress the government’s claims of empowering the marginalised castes.

What the SC commission said

In June this year, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) had observed that SLBC/UTLBC reports do not indicate the percentage of SC beneficiaries assisted under schemes such as Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY), Stand-Up India, PM SVANidhi and MSME business loans, among others.

The Commission has instructed the SLBC/UTLBC Conveners to include, in their periodic review, scheme-wise and bank-wise details of the number and percentage of SC beneficiaries assisted under the above schemes.

The SLBCs were also asked to submit an action-taken status on the measures.

The NCSC is mandated to monitor the financial inclusion extended to the SC families by attending the meetings of State Level Bankers Committees (SLBCs).

It pointed out that, in the absence of data, it becomes difficult for the Commission to review the performance of Banks and assess whether they have been extending help to SC families in accordance with the Constitutional mandate.