The social groups whose development is more linked to radical social change are the Scheduled Castes (SCs) in Odisha. The Government of India Scheduled Castes Order 1936 had identified 54 sub-caste groups of Odisha as SCs but during last 70 years, the number of sub caste has increased in State and currently it is 94 while some sub –caste groups are still in queue to be enlisted as SCs. It is told that in comparison to other States the SC list of Odisha has included a few non-deserving castes because of political considerations and not following the original criteria of untouchability while identifying the SCs.
It has subsequently diluted the benefit sharing among SCs of the State. But largely a majority of the communities are socially distinguished and economically poor. The makers of modern India want to build a casteless society with abolition of untouchability and all forms of caste based discrimination and atrocities against SCs and others.
As a matter of historical reparation towards justice and equality, there have been special provisions and affirmative action policy which address the continued social injustice while ensuring participation and equal opportunity for development of all including the SCs. But the present socio-economic scenario of the State of Odisha shows a discomforting picture as majority of its people are in extreme poverty and backwardness where the SCs are more disadvantaged and vulnerable among the social groups. The last 70 years of constitutional rule and institutional mechanism have not created much impact; rather when the SCs are struggling for change, the new liberal economy has put new challenges before them.
In spite of many efforts of the Government and others, about one-fifth of the population of the State continue to face social discrimination and lag behind socio-economic development. There is continued untouchability practice and caste based atrocity in the rural villages against these section of people by economically, politically and socially dominant castes.
The Home department, Government of Odisha, in its annual white papers has reported thousands of such cases of atrocities while equal amount of such cases remain unreported for various reasons. The SC hamlets still lack basic amenities for life though there have been a number of schemes in this regard. The post-independent land reform laws have promised land for housing and livelihood but still the two things remain a distance dream for lakhs of landless families among SCs.
Their children are prominently featured among dropouts and child labourers and adults are among migrant workers in current Government's data. The benefits of reservation in education and jobs remain vacant or unfulfilled and largely diluted and distracted.
These days a growing trend of outsourcing, contractual appointments and privatisation are further debarring these sections of people from quality education and meaningful employment of organised sector while a vast majority of them still languish as casual workers of unorganised sector without benefits of labour legislations and limited trade unionism. The emerging political trend shows the withdrawal of the State from its responsibility towards the historically vulnerable sections including the SCs and encouraging the market economy to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.
It is time to relook the changing socio-economic conditions and re-strategies many of our constitutional promises and its implementation and also to evaluate the work of institutions existing to carry out the mandate of the constitution in building an egalitarian society.
Take for example the major institutional mechanism of Government in primarily working to ensure the protection, participation and development of the SCs under the guidance and leadership of mostly the elected representatives of SCs. Currently, the State has 24 SC MLAs in the Assembly and three MPs in in Lok Sabha. No one from SCs represent in Rajya Sabha from Odisha. There are also Zilla Parisad Chairpersons from SCs as per their percentage. As per constitutional provisions, there are dedicated institutions such as the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, National Commission for SCs, National Commission for Safai Karmacharies and National SCs Finance Development Corporation, to name a few.
The State level institutions include Department of SCs and STs Development, where it is told in the constitution that the Minister heading the department must belong to ST (Article- 164).
Besides, there is the SCs and STs Finance and Development Corporation, SCs and STs Research and Training Institutions, Odisha Scheduled Caste Advisory Board headed by Chief Minister with all SC MPs and MLAs as its members and State Vigilance and Monitoring Committee to monitor cases of atrocities. While the Chief Minister is the chairperson of the committee, at the district level, the Collector is the chairperson. Last but not the least, there is the SC and ST MLAs House Committee in the State Assembly for overall implementation of various policies.
Added to institutional mechanism there is a budgetary provision since 1979 as Scheduled Caste Sub Plan which speaks about a population percentage wise proportional share in budget for the development of SCs with separate account heads in demand grants.
It is further told that the funds are non-divertible and non-lapsable and must primarily be targeted to generate employment to counter poverty and unemployment. It is to bridge the gap in socio-economic development to bring their level at par with other social groups of the State.
So the public institutions having budget, and armed with protective laws and Acts, have a greater role to play in upgrading the socio-economic condition of the SCs and make all efforts to fulfill the constitutional promises. It is the primary role of different institutions and statutory bodies mostly represented by elected SC leaders to monitor the implementation of various policies, laws, Acts , schemes and programmes for the protection, participation and development of SCs of the State.
But how far these institutions are effective in discharging their job while they are being handsomely paid out of public treasury is a matter of discussion. It is time to evaluate the role of these institutions in ensuring justice and equality to SCs of the State.
