Gandhinagar: Gujarat govt has begun the process to set up a dedicated Scheduled Castes Commission in the state, a move aimed at providing an institutional mechanism for addressing grievances of SC communities and monitoring implementation of safeguards and welfare schemes.The move is also perceived as an attempt by BJP govt to strengthen its presence among SCs even as they constitute about 7% of the population. Thirteen seats in the state assembly are reserved for SC candidates.Sources said social justice and empowerment department will shortly initiate a stakeholder consultation exercise involving representatives of SC communities, social organisations and relevant govt departments. The consultations will help the govt formulate the broad framework, powers and functioning of the proposed commission.“Social justice department has begun a formal exercise to set up a SC commission. Legal department is also exploring the possibility of whether legislation must accompany the setting up of the commission. Govt is expected to make a formal announcement in the coming weeks,” said a govt source.According to officials, the proposed commission is expected to have a role in examining complaints relating to discrimination and denial of rights, besides monitoring the implementation of govt schemes and constitutional safeguards for SC communities. “It could also make recommendations to the state govt on policy and legislative matters concerning scheduled castes,” said a source.Sources close to the development said that such commissions in other states have been entrusted with powers similar to those of a civil court while examining complaints.At present, issues concerning constitutional safeguards and protection of scheduled castes are dealt at the national level by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), a constitutional body established under Article 338 of the Constitution. The NCSC has regional offices across the country, including 12 state offices.A state-level commission, however, would provide a more localised mechanism to take up complaints of atrocities and monitor implementation of SC-related policies and safeguards within Gujarat. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Punjab and Telangana are among the states that have dedicated commissions for scheduled castes and/or scheduled tribes.While the proposal was still in a nascent stage, sources said that proposed commission could also provide an institutional platform for monitoring matters such as implementation of reservation in state govt jobs, apart from taking up grievances relating to social exclusion, discrimination and land or property rights.
