The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India had launched a Central Sector Scheme "Special Central Assistance (SCA) to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP)" in the year 1979-80. Special Central Assistance is an additive to the Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP) of the State and is not linked to any particular programme or scheme. Under this programme, a lumpsum amount is released to the States and formulation of schemes and schematic allocation is done by the States at their own level keeping in view the guidelines of Govt. of India. The only condition with regard to SCA is that it should be spent on the programmes/schemes for the economic development of BPL SC families to enable them to cross the poverty line. It is not possible to make any discernible impact on the conditions of the SCs particularly in the rural areas as economic development has been recognized as a core solution of the problems of SCs. SCA should be used in an integrated, optimal and cost effective manner in conjunction with the flow of outlays/ benefits from various sources of the State or to be in conjunction with the Scheduled Castes Sub Plan of the State mainly for income generating schemes for SCs living below the poverty line.