Govt strengthens oversight as DAPSC expenditure trails revised estimates

The government of India has a special plan to spend money on helping Scheduled Castes, communities that have faced unfair treatment for a very long time.

Every year, the government sets aside money for this plan.

But it has not been spending all of that money.

In fact, from 2021 to 2026, the money actually spent was always less than the amount planned.

In the latest year, 2025-26, only about 85 rupees out of every 100 rupees set aside were used.

Thirty-eight different government ministries and departments look after and spend this money.

The government says it is now checking on these departments more closely to make sure the money is used properly.

Sometimes money is left unspent because some schemes are meant for everyone, not only for people in the Scheduled Castes.

A minister named Ramdas Athawale told the Rajya Sabha, one of India's two houses of parliament, about this.