SC Commission chief pushes for funds, security & reform

Kuldeep Kumar, chairman of the Himachal Pradesh State Commission for Scheduled Castes, met Kishore Makwana, chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, in New Delhi on Thursday to discuss key concerns affecting the Scheduled Caste communities in the state.

During the meeting, Kuldeep Kumar raised the issue of a reduction in the budget allocation under the Scheduled Caste Development Plan (SCDP). He urged the National Commission to take up the matter with the relevant ministries to ensure sufficient funding for welfare schemes. He also requested budgetary support under the Research and Development (R&D) Division for state-specific initiatives.

Accompanied by Commission members and advocates Vijay Dogra and Digvijay Malhotra, the Chairman highlighted challenges faced by SC populations residing near or within cantonment areas, seeking the Commission’s intervention to push the issue forward with the Ministry of Defence.

Kumar also apprised the chairman of the Commission’s ongoing activities in Himachal Pradesh and emphasised the need for enhanced security support for the Commission during field operations and public hearings. He further requested that a state review meeting of the Commission be scheduled soon to assess progress and plan future initiatives.