Siddarth Sethia
*Steps Will Be Taken to Fill Backlog Vacancies:DCM Parameshwara.
*Meeting held with leaders of various Dalit organisations at Vidhana Soudha.
*Measures to increase scholarships for SC/ST students.
*Review of alleged exclusion of Dalit women from Guarantee Schemes.
Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister Dr.G. Parameshwara said that steps would be taken to fill backlog vacancies in universities and other major government departments.
Dr.Parameshwara held a meeting with leaders of various Dalit organisations at the Conference Hall in Vidhana Soudha today and heard their concerns at length.He later addressed the media.
“We will fill the backlog vacancies.Our Government is recruiting for 72,000 posts,in which SC and ST candidates will receive reservation in accordance with the law.
In addition,several posts earmarked for reserved categories remain unfilled.These backlog vacancies, including those in universities and major departments, will be filled.The matter will be discussed with the Chief Minister,”he said.
He said the PTCL Act had been amended after many years.“Our Government removed Provision D following demands for its deletion.
However, concerns were raised that its implementation has been delayed and is not being carried out properly.I have assured them that the Government will take an appropriate decision,”he said.
The organisations brought to the Government’s notice that a large section of the Dalit community was not benefiting from the Guarantee Schemes.
“Information will be obtained to identify the districts and taluks where Dalit women have been denied the benefits and where the Guarantee Schemes have not reached them.Immediate corrective action will be taken.If women from the Dalit community have been excluded, the issue will be rectified,”he said.
The organisations also stated that student scholarships were neither being disbursed on time nor were they adequate.
“Post-matric students are being provided a scholarship of ₹1,800,while their expenses amount to nearly ₹3,000.
They have pointed out that the scholarship provided by the Government is insufficient.The issue will be discussed with the Chief Minister,and a decision on increasing the scholarship amount will be taken in the next Budget,”he said.
He said concerns were also raised that Forest Department officials were harassing nomadic and tribal communities and carrying out unnecessary evictions. Appropriate action will be taken in this regard,he said.
The organisations suggested restoring the earlier single-window system for the implementation of SCP and TSP programmes and placing responsibility with the Social Welfare Department.They also demanded that funds allocated to different departments be brought back under this system,he said.
“Reservation has been provided in the allotment of KIADB land, but concerns have been raised that land is not being allotted properly and Dalits are not receiving adequate opportunities in layouts.This will be rectified.
KSFC has stopped extending industrial loans, and steps will be taken to restart the facility,”he said.
*SIT Constituted:
The meeting was informed that 270 acres of land are under the control of Sri Ravi Shankar Guruji’s Art of Living, of which 150 acres allegedly belong to members of the SC and ST communities.“Several complaints had been received earlier.
Based on these complaints,an SIT has been constituted by the Revenue Department to investigate the matter.
The SIT will examine the allegation that 150 acres belonging to SC and ST communities were taken over.
The investigation will be headed by Bengaluru Regional Commissioner Amlan Aditya Biswas,”Dr.Parameshwara said.
He said the scholarship provided to students pursuing education abroad was inadequate.Steps will be taken to cover the fees charged by universities in the respective countries.
“Candidates who have passed with high grades will be considered for direct recruitment against backlog vacancies.
12 PhD holders from tribal communities have not secured employment.The possibility of providing them jobs through a special recruitment drive will be examined,”he said.
He said the Right to Education (RTE) Act was not being implemented properly and that a court stay had been obtained on extending RTE provisions to Classes 9 and 10.I will discuss the matter with the Advocate General and take steps to have the stay vacated,”he said.
Dr. Parameshwara said Neelavva Ningavva Harijan, who became a world champion in cricket for persons with disabilities last year,was living in a shed.
“The Government provided her ₹5 lakh last year.She will soon be allotted a residential site by the Housing Board,” he said.
Responding to a question from the media,he said the SIT would investigate the allegation concerning 150 acres of SC/ST land said to be under the control of the Art of Living.
“The facts will become clear after the SIT investigation. It will establish who is right and who is at fault.The matter was raised in the meeting, and coincidentally,the order constituting the SIT was issued today,”he said.
He said a time limit of 21 days had been prescribed for issuing caste certificates and that there would be no delay.Caste certificates will help beneficiaries access employment and educational opportunities.
The BJP has repeatedly raised the issue of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants both inside and outside the legislature.The issuance of Permanent Resident Certificates (PRC) will help identify and exclude illegal immigrants,”he said.
“Illegal immigrants will not receive any Government benefits.Even when we were students, the State Government issued several kinds of certificates.Caste Certificates continue to be issued by Tahsildars.
There is a significant difference between granting citizenship and issuing a residence certificate. Citizenship certificates are issued by the Union Government.
Criteria have been framed to prevent any misuse in the issuance of PRCs.Not everyone will be eligible for a PRC,”he clarified.
Responding to a media question about the alleged deletion of Dalit voters during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls,he said the party was remaining vigilant.
“Both the parties must appoint BLA representatives. There is an opportunity to question the deletion of names from the electoral roll and have such errors corrected,”he said.
Regarding the assault on officials who had gone to carry out an eviction drive in Shivajinagar,Dr.Parameshwara said action would be taken against those responsible.
“Regardless of who carried out the assault,the police will register a case in accordance with the law,”he said.
Dalit leaders,Mavalli Shankar,Prof.Indira Krishnappa,M. Venkataswamy,Sridhar Kaliveera and Subbu Holeyar; Revenue Department Additional Chief Secretary, Rajendra Kumar Kataria,Revenue Commissioner,Meena Nagaraj,Social Welfare Department Principal Secretary, Mohan Raj,and officials from the Finance Department were present at the meeting.
