Centre considers steps to promote SC/ST businesses

“Procurement by the Central Government from small and medium enterprises should include some percentage from enterprises run by SCs and STs,” Wasnik said,pointing out that the exact quota and procedures for procurement to help the SC and ST entrepreneurs was being finalised. He said that soon the issue would be placed before the Union Cabinet for further action.

If approved,it would be a major decision of the UPA government in going beyond the statutory reservation for SCs and STs in education and government employment. He pointed out that the issue of affirmative action by the industry for backward classes was being handled by a coordination panel in Delhi. He said that instead of a rigid quota,a voluntary code of conduct was being favoured by the captains of industry.

Wasnik said a scrutiny by an independent agency of the welfare schemes run by his department was on the cards to find out the outcome of such schemes. He pointed out that the third-party review of schemes would help the government in finding out whether a scheme had helped beneficiaries to rise above the poverty line and whether a scheme deserved to be continued or required modifications for better results.

E-payment of scholarship reduces beneficiaries

Union Minister Mukul Wasnik said the introduction of e-payment of scholarship for SC students had reduced the number of beneficiaries in the state by over one lakh as compared to last year. Last year,about five lakh students were given scholarships,but after e-payment (crediting the amount directly to bank accounts of students),the number of beneficiaries had dropped to about four lakh,indicating that one lakh students were not genuine.

6 spl courts for POA cases await cabinet nod

Mukul Wasnik said after finding that the conviction rate in cases filed under the Prevention of Atrocities against SCs and STs Act 1989 was around two per cent,it has been decided to set up six special courts in the state. He said the issue is awaiting approval of the state cabinet. The average conviction rate in the country is 30 per cent. In Maharashtra,86.5 per cent of the 1,296 cases registered under the Act are pending trial.