In 2024-25, the Siddaramaiah government diverted Rs 14,283 crore from SCPTSP funds to the five guarantee schemes. “By diverting funds for the guarantees, the govt is snatching the rights of SC-ST communities,’ said BJP’s Chalavadi Narayanswamy, leader of the opposition in Karnataka Legislative Council. However, senior govt officials justified the diversion of the SCPT SP funds, saying a huge majority of the beneficiaries of the guarantee schemes are members of theSC-ST community. The funds can only be used for the development of communities and not for populist measures, said DSS’ Indhudhar Honnapura, a DSS member and former member of the Karnataka state legislature. The Karnataka government is yet to release its budget for the year 2015-16. It is expected to be released on February 14. The budget will be presented to the state legislature on February 15.