Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore   

Trade union status sought for SC/ST bodies

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore May 25 . The National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes had taken up with the Prime Minister a proposal for conferring on the SC and ST welfare organisations in government and other undertakings, the same status as trade unions, the commission chairman, Bizay Sonkar Shastri, said here today.

Dr. Shastri, who was having a meeting with representatives of SC and ST organisations of government and industries, felt that many of the problems relating to discrimination of SCs and STs would be solved automatically once they got such recognition.

Expressing satisfaction at the implementation of various recommendations of the commission, Dr. Shastri gave the case of Rajasthan where the Government had confirmed the services of nearly 10,000 temporary employees within a week of a review by the commission and setting a deadline of two months to fill up 60,000 posts which had remained vacant for 50 years.

In a note circulated at the meeting, the commission said that initiatives were being taken by it to find out ways and means of implementing reservation in the private sector. Among measures to create awareness launched by the commission were proposals to include establishment of a toll-free number and helpline so that grievances were registered without delay. To advance socio-economic interests of SCs and STs, the commission was also actively considering introduction of a multi- entitlement card which, apart from other things, would have an account of their health record. To broad-base discussion in the commission, it was proposed to constitute a national level advisory committee. Referring to the pendency of matters before the commission, Dr. Shastri explained the steps taken to overcome the limitations such as inadequacy of staff, and said it was proposed to computerise the office in Delhi in six months to attend to the grievances promptly.

A member of the commission C.Chellappan, after hearing the various organisations said, the commission would try to set things right. The commission was receiving 250 petitions a day and it was keen to see that every one of it was looked into.

The grievances aired at the meeting mostly related to discrimination of SCs and STs in service matters. One of the participants from Vijaya Bank said that the policy guidelines were not being implemented and the harassment continued despite the existence of the commission.

The complainants were from Syndicate Bank, Railways, Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, HOPCOMS, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, Mysore Lamps, CFTRI, Mysore, Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals, State Excise Department, and BHEL.

D.S.Veeraiah, President of the State SC and ST Morcha of BJP, welcomed the chief guests.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Enforce tender guidelines, pourakarmikas urge BMP
• Authority planned for Bangalore's development
• More fall victim to mystery fever
• `Of Legacies and Legends' from today
• NAB launches website
• Trade union status sought for SC/ST bodies
• Elected to Editorial Forum

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu