Chandigarh, April 7 – With an aim to reach social equilibrium which is free from unnecessary bias on the basis of caste or creed, Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal directed the officers concerned of the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Department to ensure there are common cremation grounds for people belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribe and Backward Classes and others.
The Chief Minister said that it is imperative to take such steps for developing a homogenous society without any prejudice. Sh. Manohar Lal elaborated that with the implementation of these steps the State will gradually move towards ‘Samrasta’ society.
In another major step taken to ebb social inequalities, the Chief Minister also suggested that common Community Centres should be built so as to bring people of every caste or creed under one roof.
The Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal gave these directions during the meeting of the State Level Vigilance & Monitoring Committee which has been constituted under Rule 16 of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995. During the meeting a comprehensive review was taken on the steps being taken to uplift the people belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Backward Classes and to monitor the implementation of Schemes for them. Home Minister, Sh. Anil Vij, Minister for Welfare of SC & BC, Dr. Banwari Lal and Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Sh. Anoop Dhanak were present in the meeting.
Taking a strong view on the pendency of cases and the witnesses turning hostile in court cases pertaining to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes, Sh, Manohar Lal asked the officers concerned to make a list of such cases pertaining to murder (Section 302 of the IPC) attempt to murder (Section 307 of the IPC) and rape cases (Section 376 of the IPC) in last 10 years and their present status. He also asked the officers concerned to study the pending cases pertaining to financial relief to be given to the beneficiaries as per the guidelines. The officers should also conduct this study so as to keep a track of the year in which the financial aid was sought, the number of cases pending and reason for delay, he added.
The Chief Minister asked the Department concerned to make the Director General, Information, Public Relations & Languages a member of this Committee so as to ensure penetration of various IEC (Information Education Communication) activities mentioning about the various Schemes in the interiors of the State especially in areas with dense population of people belonging to SC/ST.
Home Minister, Sh. Anil Vij, who was also present in the meeting asked the officers concerned to ensure timely intimation of such cases to Department of Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes soon after the registration of FIR with complete information. He said such a mechanism should be developed so that as soon as the information of the registration of FIR is received the benefits as per the Rules are extended to the beneficiaries. Sh. Vij also asked them to ensure that a copy of the FIR is sent by the Superintendent of the Police to Deputy Commissioner and Department of Social Welfare.
Among those present in the meeting were members of State Level Vigilance & Monitoring Committee, MLAs Sh. Ishwar Singh, Sh. Satya Prakash Jrawta, Sh. Varun Chaudhary and Sh. Shishpal Singh. Chief Secretary, Sh. Sanjeev Kaushal, Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. D.S. Dhesi, Additional Chief Secretary, Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Department, Sh. Vineet Garg, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. V. Umashankar, ADGP, Sh. A.S. Chawla and DIG, Naazneen Bhasin and several other officers were present in the meeting.