Vishwakarma Yojana scheme is not ‘kula kalvi thittam’, says Governor

Gov. R.N. Ravi defends PM's Vishwakarma Yojana Scheme, calls those opposing it "spreading poison for the sake of politics". Scheme provides training and loans to those pursuing 18 hereditary trades, helping them upgrade their skills and feel proud of their trade. Opponents accused of keeping SC/STs suppressed in name of social justice. Gov. alleges TN not implementing Central schemes with sincerity, 40% of funds for SC housing diverted. Central schemes for all States, not PM's, so "sad" to do politics on it.

Rajapalayam

Tamil Nadu Governor R. N. Ravi, on Friday, defended the PM’s Vishwakarma Yojana Scheme and contended that it was not promoting hereditary caste based occupation (kula kalvi thittam). Mr Ravi described those opposing it as “spreading poison for the sake of politics”.

Addressing a meeting on the Vishwakarma Yojana that provides training and gives loan to people pursuing 18 trades (vocations or skills passed from generation to generation), Mr. Ravi said people who were engaged in small, but essential trades like carpenters, blacksmith, cannot be left out.

According to him, the scheme was to help the people in a more skilled manner, buy new equipment and get loans to scale up their trade so that they can feel proud of their trade. “However, some people are looking at everything with a glass of politics ... misguiding them by calling it kula kalvi thittam,” the Governor said.

In the name of implementing social justice, they (parties opposing the scheme) had kept a large population of the country, especially those belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes supressed. He also pointed out the incident of a woman, who has been elected as panchayat president two years back, but was yet to be allowed to take oath of office because she belonged to a particular caste. “We (still) call ourselves champions of social justice,” he said.

The Governor said the Union Government was implementing various schemes on health, education, infrastructure without any discrimination among the States of the country. However, those Central schemes were not being implemented with sincerity in Tamil Nadu, he alleged.

He complained that 40% of the central funds given for constructing houses for the Scheduled Castes people were not spent for it, but were being diverted for some other purpose. “The Central Government scheme is not the scheme of the Prime Minister, but the scheme of the people of the country... To do politics on it is very sad,” he added.