With the recently released National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2017 placing Bihar at the second worst position for the third consecutive year so far with respect to cases of atrocities against Dalits, the state’s General Administration Department (GAD) has asked divisional commissioners to ensure that all district magistrates mention details of SC/ST vigilance and grievances committee meetings. According to the government’s direction, a district magistrate has to preside over four meetings of the committee every month and ensure implementation of sundry recommendations of the committee. The district-level committee intends at taking measures that can help curb cases of atrocities under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, through counselling and awareness. Even though the state government has made it mandatory for DMs to put their remarks on the committees’ meetings in their e-annual performance appraisal report (e-PAR), it was not done in 2018-19 fiscal. Also Read | Bihar govt to open higher secondary schools in all Panchayat to reduce fertility rate: Nitish The divisional commissioners, who are appraisers for DMs, also did not bring it to the GAD. Sources said since the number of cases of atrocities under SC/ST Act is high, the government has served a fresh direction to all divisional commissioners.
