Bhuria for action against officials involved in bogus certificates scam

Condemning such moves, Bhuria demanded stern action against erring officials including their dismissal. Issue of bogus caste certificates was depriving genuine SC and ST educated youth of employment opportunities, he said.

The Chairman was speaking after concluding his three-day tour to city, during which he inspected implementation of various schemes meant for SC/STs.

During his visit, Bhuria held a meeting of senior officials of Nagpur division consisting of Divisional Commissioner J S Saharia, Collector Manu Kumar Shrivastav, Additional Tribal Commissioner Gadre and others.

In the Nagpur district, which has the second largest Scheduled Caste population in the State after Latur, Bhuria observed that there are over three lakh SC and ST candidates who have registered their names with employment exchanges but were yet to get jobs. He felt the government should solve the problem seriously before it snowballs.

Bhuria was also critical of the implementation of welfare schemes for SC/STs in Nagpur division and said tribal areas of east Vidarbha still lack basic facilities like drinking water, roads, electricity, irrigation etc.

Bhuria visited the Kuwara Bhivsen tribal village in Parsheoni tehsil of the district and found that the village was yet to see the face of development. “The Tribal Development Department should take various welfare programmes to these tribals,” he said.

During his discussions with senior officials, Bhuria said he found that tribal areas of the region were being deprived of irrigational facilities due to severe restrictions imposed by the Forest Department. Bhuria said he would take up the issue with the state government.

Commenting on the mounting backlog in job reservation, Bhuria opined that the Union Government should bring about an amendment in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution to fill the backlog mandatory. He also said the reservation for SC/STs together should be raised to 25 per cent in view of the rise in the population.

During his tour of the region, Bhuria visited Sewagram and Paunar Ashrams in Wardha district and the Deekshabhoomi at Nagpur, besides reviewing the implementation of reservation policy by the Western Coalfields Limited (WCL).