Budget under SC sub-plan doubles in 4 yrs

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, January 19

The state government has increased the budget under the Scheduled Caste sub-plan by more than 100 per cent in the past four years. Rs 1,949.15 crore has been allocated under this head during the current financial year. During 2012-13, Rs 914.64 crore was sanctioned under this head.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said this while presiding over the meeting of the Scheduled Caste Welfare Board organised here today.

The Chief Minister said it was the duty of the government to create equal opportunities for the uplift of each community, especially the Scheduled Caste. Discrimination on any ground should be stopped once for all. Independence could be fruitful and realised only when every section was able to join the mainstream of the society. It was an era of equality and bias should be banned at every state of life, he said.

Virbhadra Singh said it was a matter of contentment that the age-old caste-based discriminations and taboos were being rejected and shackles were being broken by the society in general. It was the constitutional duty of each government to help the society develop and progress collectively. It was possible only if a society working on equal footing was allowed to flourish by providing equal openings to all sections.

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dhani Ram Shandil said during the current financial year 1,649 aspirants from the SC community were selected for benefits under various schemes. Efforts were being made to make them self-reliant. They were being provided free education in postgraduate diploma in computer applications and desktop applications. Rs 2.18 crore were spent on the training. Rs 357 crore was being spent on different social security pensions to provide help to the members of the community.

Shandil briefed about the pre and post-matriculation scholarship schemes being run by the state government. He said educational assistance and loans were being provided to the eligible students of the community. Vocational trainings were also being provided to the youth of the community through the HP SC and ST Development Commission based at Solan.

Chief Secretary VC Pharka presented a vote of thanks.

Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment ,Anuradha Thakur conducted the proceedings of the meeting.

Various issues like simplifying the process of correction of caste for speedy settlement of such cases, construction of link road in the Fatehpur block of Kangra district, building of community centres in the SC habitats at Datwar, Dehra, Jadera, Kehal, Mangle, Banog, Bagara and Sillagharat, construction of crematorium in Shourinali Koha in Sillagharat in Chamba district, repair of ancient temples of Lord Vishnu in Harijan bastis (habitats) in Diswani, Kharshali and Tikari panchayats in Shimla district, upgrade of dispensary in Bankala in Shambhuwala in Sirmaur district, building of link road from the Nariwala Bus Stand and for Sirmauri Taal, construction of bridge over Jambukhale, laying of underground pipes in Naariwala village and Kishankot, etc, were discussed during the meeting.