Govt hopeful of a favourable verdict on SC/ST Act

The government is hopeful of a favourable verdict from the Supreme Court on the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act as it had done on reservation in promotion in jobs, Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot said on Tuesday.

At an event to list out the achievements of his ministry in the past four years, Gehlot said they were awaiting the outcome of its review petition against the Supreme Court's March 20 order putting safeguards on arrests under the legislation, before taking any legislative measure to insulate the Act from further judicial scrutiny.

He said whether the government would move Parliament for a law or bring an ordinance "will only depend on the outcome of the hearing on the review petition".

The government had earlier planned to bring an ordinance to overturn the Supreme Court's March 20 verdict putting safeguards on arrests under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and subsequently introduce a bill to incorporate the legislation in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, laws under which cannot be challenged in courts.

Gehlot said that there is an increase of 12.19 per cent in the budget of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2018-19 as compared to 2017-18.

The budget 2017-18 was Rs 6,908 crore and it has been increased to Rs 7,750 crore in 2018-19. This is an increase of Rs 842.00 crore or 12.19 per cent, he said.

He said that a national survey of manual scavengers in 170 identified districts of 18 states has been undertaken keeping in view the slow progress of identification by states. The survey is being coordinated and monitored by National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation(NSKFDC) in association with the representatives of state governments and social organisations.

Survey camps in 125 districts have been completed and so far, 5,365 people have been identified as manual scavengers.

The allocation for the welfare of scheduled caste people has increased from Rs 30,850.88 crore in 2015-16 to Rs 56,618.50 crore, an increase of 83.52 per cent, he added.

He informed that the overall allocations for the welfare of OBC have been increased by 41.03 per cent, from Rs 1,237.30 crore in 2017-18 to Rs 1,747.00 crore in 2018-19.