The Karnataka government has revealed the substantial allocation of funds from the Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) towards its popular guarantee schemes. This significant disclosure
was made by Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa in the Legislative Council while responding to a question raised by MLC Hemalatha Nayak. The Minister revealed that the state had spent Rs 37,000 crore from the sub-plan for guarantees. The Minister firmly stated that while SCSP/TSP funds are being utilized for the guarantee schemes, the allocation is strictly done in proportion to the SC and ST population and categorically denied any claims of misuse.
Utilisation figures across 5 guarantees
The government provided a detailed breakdown of the fundsreleased for the guarantee schemes from 2023 up to November 2025. In total, the state has allocated over Rs 37,182 crore from these welfare funds. This amount is split between Rs 25,909 crore from the SCSP and Rs 11,273 crore from the TSP.
The data shows that the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, which provides financial assistance to women heads of households, has received the highest allocation. For this flagship scheme, Rs 14,743 crore has been released from the SCSP and Rs 6,317 crore from the TSP.
Following this, the Gruha Jyothi scheme, offering free electricity, accounts for a substantial amount, with Rs 4,562 crore from the SCSP and Rs 2,076 crore from the TSP.
The Anna Bhagya scheme, which distributes free rice/food grains, has seen an allocation of Rs 3,701 crore from the SCSP and Rs 1,584 crore from the TSP.
For the Shakti scheme, which provides free travel for women in non-AC government buses, the allocation stands at Rs 2,701 crore from the SCSP and Rs 1,215 crore from the TSP.
Lastly, the Yuva Nidhi scheme, offering unemployment allowance to graduates and diploma holders, has the smallest share, with Rs 202 crore from the SCSP and Rs 81 crore from the TSP being released.
Government justifies expenditure as proportional
Minister Mahadevappa’s defence centres on the principle of proportionality, arguing that since the guaranteeschemes benefit a large section of the SC and ST population, utilizing the sub-plan funds for these direct benefit transfers is in line with their intended purpose of community development and welfare.
The release of Rs 37,182 crore underscores the massive scale of the schemes and the extent to which these statutory welfare funds are being channelled through the state’s most prominent social welfare programmes.
