Bhopal, May 26: Madhya Pradesh Tribal Welfare Minister Vijay Shah today admitted that Rs 1,200 crore, of the budgetary provision made over the past two years for tribal and Scheduled Castes welfare, were unutilised.

In a letter to Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Jamuna Devi, he said, ''of the total allocation of Rs 9,700 cr, Rs 8,500 cr were spent.'' Ms Devi had alleged that Rs 739 cr, meant for tribal welfare, and Rs 501 cr for SC welfare were unutilised.

''During the erstwhile Congress regime, Rs 3,400 cr were allocated over a period of two years but the present (Bharatiya Janata Party) government almost tripled it to Rs 9,700 cr. However, in 2007-08, 8 per cent of funds meant for tribal welfare and 5 pc of funds for SC welfare could not be utilised,'' the Minister claimed.

He alleged that 29 pc of funds - about Rs 1,000 cr - lay unutilised for a period of two years during Congress tenure.