Funds for scheduled castes diverted for Commonwealth Games, allege activists
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COMMENTS 
The 2010 Commonwealth Games continues to flirt with controversy. Civil society groups say that the Delhi government has diverted funds meant for scheduled castes and other marginalised groups towards organising the event
A study by the Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN) and the National Dalit Campaign for Human Rights (NCDHR) has found that Rs 744.35 crore was diverted from the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan of Delhi, between 2006-07 and 2010-2011, to the Commonwealth Games. The study says the money was diverted to the departments of transport, urban development, sports, and youth.
According to right to information activist and HLRN Associate Director Shivani Chaudhary: “A total of Rs 744.35 crore originally meant to improve the standard of living of poor sections of the community through various government schemes and programmes was diverted to the Games projects.”
“The money has been stolen from these (poor) people, and this is a criminal activity… all this is being done in the name of national prestige, which can’t fill stomachs,” Milon Kothari, former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing and Executive Director, HLRN, said while questioning the logic in allocating Rs 50 crore towards building toilets to international standards, Rs 344 crore for the city’s beautification, and Rs 7 crore to paint flyovers.
NCDHR General Secretary Paul Divakar said: “The Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan, started by Indira Gandhi in 1980, was to bridge the economic gap between the general population and the deprived classes… But in the past 25 years, we find that only 18 ministries are allocating their budgets to SCs and STs, that too just 5%.”
HLRN and NCDHR have demanded full public disclosure of all finances related to the Games, prosecution of officials who diverted funds, and an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, among other measures. Activists allege that the funds are likely to have gone to corporates/contractors working on CWG infrastructure projects. There has been no response from the Delhi government or the organisers of the Games on these allegations.
According to activists, the original cost of the Games was Rs 150 crore. But more than Rs 3,390 crore has already been spent.
The grand plan to clean up the Indian capital for the Games, to be held between October 3 and 14, involves clearing it of slum-dwellers, squatters, stray dogs, cows, donkeys, goats, rats, snakes and even elephants and camels. This alone is likely to cost the government $ 65 million, according to the BBC.
“The government is trying to sweep the poor under the carpet. This will not help. Let’s seek a more humane way of addressing a centuries old problem,” says Bibek Debroy, one of India’s top economists.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk, July 21, 2010
The Indian Express, July 16, 2010
IANS, July 15, 2010