Ambedkar Mission Society demands filling up of SC backlog vacancies
A delegation of the Ambedkar Mission Society, Chamba, led by its president Yogeshwar Ahir met Vijay Dogra, Member of the Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Castes Commission, during his visit to Chamba. The delegation submitted a detailed memorandum raising key concerns related to the Scheduled Caste community, particularly regarding backlog vacancies and the ineffective implementation of the SC/ST Sub-Plan.
Anoop Rahi, general secretary of the society, said several posts reserved for Scheduled Castes in various departments of the Himachal Pradesh Government have remained unfilled for many years. These unfilled positions, accumulated as backlogs, have significantly contributed to unemployment among eligible SC candidates. The delegation emphasised that the only way to ensure fair recruitment is for the government to release department-wise data on these backlog vacancies and take proactive steps to fill them.
The delegation also highlighted the issue of inadequate budget allocation under the SC/ST sub-plan. Despite constitutional provisions mandating proportional budgetary support for SC and ST communities, the state government is reportedly allocating only about 4% of the total state budget for this purpose, far below the proportionate requirement of 33% based on the latest census. Moreover, even this limited allocation is allegedly not being spent on SC/ST welfare but diverted for other uses.
The society expressed concern that the SC/ST sub-plan has been reduced to a mere formality in the state, lacking any effective execution. It noted that for the past two years, a state-level coalition has been striving for the proper implementation of the Act, but with limited success.
The delegation urged the state Scheduled Castes Commission to take necessary action in addressing these issues by ensuring transparency around vacancy data, promoting recruitment drives for SC candidates, and enforcing proper implementation of the SC/ST Sub-Plan. The Society expressed hope that the Commission would extend its full cooperation and take concrete steps to ensure justice and equal opportunities for the Scheduled Castes across the state.
