SC/ST panel pulls up govt, seeks wholesale changes

Even as the Congress and the BJP fought over the issue of unauthorised colonies in the Delhi Assembly today, the Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes pulled up the government 8220;after serious deliberations8221; on various issues.

Even as the Congress and the BJP fought over the issue of unauthorised colonies in the Delhi Assembly today, the Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes pulled up the government 8220;after serious deliberations8221; on various issues.

The committee, set up under the chairmanship of legislator Surender Kumar, has recommended raising the outlay for the benefit of SC colonies, the allocation for which is Rs 22 crore for the financial year 2008-09. A report by the nine-member committee was presented in the Assembly today.

The committee has recommended urgent action against problems like electrification of localities, scholarships to students from these communities, and loan schemes for students pursuing higher studies.

Surender Kumar, chairman of the committee, told Newsline: 8220;We visited villages and inquired among the people from these communities on the matter and found they are facing serious problems.8221;

The electrification of villages and provision of 50 per cent subsidies has not been implemented till date. Expressing 8220;grave concern8221; that such a vital scheme was 8220;never brought to the notice of the committee members8221;, the panel has recommended that the SC/ST department take up the matter and there be no 8220;interference by the development department in this case8221;. Questions have also been raised over the percentage of marks fixed for students from the SC/ST communities. The committee has highlighted the fact that scholarships are issued to students from OBC and minority communities with no limit on percentage of marks, whereas for the SC/ST communities, there is a condition of 55-60 per cent marks. It has recommended that this be 8220;immediately scrapped8221; and students be given scholarships on the same pattern.

Raising the issue of construction of hostels for students from these communities, the committee said it found that hostel facilities are available to just 100 such students in Delhi. It has recommended the construction of hostels in all seven Lok Sabha constituencies of Delhi and that 8220;priority be accorded to SC/ST students of Delhi while allotting hostel facilities8221;.

Highlighting the fact that only two students have been benefited under the scheme, it has also recommended that the condition of a 8220;guarantor8221; for allotment of loans to students pursuing higher studies be 8220;removed with immediate effect8221;, as it 8220;complicates the process8221;, which needs to be 8220;simplified8221; and 8220;made transparent8221;.