Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Aug 30: Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai has directed officials to take steps for speedy disposal of cases of atrocity against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/STs) pending in courts.

He held a meeting of the State Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 in Bengaluru on Monday.

Bommai directed the Principal Secretary of Social Welfare Department to personally coordinate with Home and Law Departments to ensure that there was no delay in investigation, filing charge sheets during prosecution.

He also directed the officials to take steps to take steps for increasing the conviction rate.

The Chief Minister asked officials to review action taken reports on the decisions taken in the meeting every month.

The meeting decided to hold the Committee meeting quarterly if there were issues that need to be addressed immediately.

He directed the officials to ensure that the district level and sub-divisional level committee meetings were also quarterly.

The Chief Minister wanted the officials focus on the safety and protection of complainants and witnesses.

In sensitive cases, he advised the police to take the complainants and witnesses to court in police protection. It was also decided to appoint Additional Advocate General to oversee the process.

As more than 1.8 lakh applications under Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act 2006 have been rejected in the State, the meeting decided to set up a State Level Review Committee comprising 3 members representing the communities too.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to take stern action against those who submit fake caste certificates and those who issue such certificates which deprives the eligible people from availing Government facilities.

The departments concerned must take steps to make amendments to the Rules to increase the time limit for applying for Government jobs on compassionate ground for the dependents of victims who died due to atrocity.

The Chief Minister told the officials to give priority for education, employment and empowerment of SC/ST people and implement their welfare programmes in time bound manner.

All the ESCOMs were directed to utilise funds under SC/ST sub-plan and tribal sub plans. The Act would be amended to ensure that the funds allocated for the welfare of these communities shall be utilised for the very purpose only.

Ministers Kota Shrinivasa Poojary, B Shriramulu, J C Madhuswamy, Chief Secretary P Ravikumar, members of the committee and other senior officials were present.