CHENNAI: Rejecting allegations of diversion of funds earmarked for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu on Wednesday told the Assembly that the government remains bound by fiscal discipline and due process, and cannot reallocate department-specific funds at will.

Responding to AIADMK MLA 'Poovai' M Jagan Moorthy during the debate on the Interim Budget 2026, Thangam Thennarasu said,

"The MLA is making false allegations. The State has financial discipline and has to follow all formalities. We cannot divert funds just like that and in any manner. The funds allocated to the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare department are meant only for the department's schemes and will not be diverted to any other schemes."

Earlier, Jagan Moorthy had alleged that "funds meant for the welfare of the SC and ST communities were transferred and diverted to other programmes of the government."

Adi Dravidar Welfare Minister M Mathivendhan also dismissed the charge, stating that the department's allocations could not be shifted to any other department or scheme.

In a separate intervention, HR and CE Minister PK Sekarbabu, replying to CPI MLA K Marimuthu, said the government had reduced rent on temple lands from 1 per cent to 0.5 per cent to protect beneficiaries. "We will soon further reduce the rent and cancel the Government Order mandating a 15 per cent increase every three years. Around 2.5 lakh temple land beneficiaries will benefit, " he said.