The State Government is considering a separate budget for the Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste Development Department similar to the one for the agriculture as is done in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
This was informed by ST and SC Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare Minister lal Bihari Himrika in the State Assembly on Monday while replying to the debate on the admissibility of an adjournment motion by the Opposition on neglect of SC and ST communities by the Government.
Himrika said a number of programmes are being undertaken to raise the socioeconomic condition of the ST and SCs to bring them to the mainstream. It is proposed to provide lands to landless tribal families spread over 1,913 villages in the Tribal Sub-Plan area. So far, around 34,000 landless tribal families have been provided 1,465 acres of land along with Pattas.
The Minister said special initiatives have been taken to appoint a Special Counsel and establish a District legal Cell to deal with the cases of fake certificates exclusively. Besides, a State-level committee has been constituted to monitor the fake certificate cases.
He said the Government would further review the ORV Act amendment Bill to ensure reservation to SC and STs in posts and services, particularly to extend the reservation in the recruitments in private companies.
Earlier participating in the debate, the opposition Congress and BJP members slammed the Government for failing to protect the interests of STs and SCs despite the fact that both the community comprise 38 per cent of the State’s population. While the ST and SC advisory committees are not being convened regularly, the Government has failed to implement the ORV Act in letter and spirit.
They also urged that a separate budget should be made for development of STs and SCs proportionate to their population. They demanded establishment of Model Schools exclusively for the ST and SC students in Bhubaneswar.