The RINL, corporate entity of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, was given one month to sort out the decade-old issue of promotions of 284 SC employees.
National Commission for Scheduled Castes member P.M. Kamalamma told the media here on Monday that in case the RINL was not able to find an amicable settlement for the issue, the commission would constitute a committee to suggest a solution.
The member gave the direction after a detailed discussion with the steel plant management and failed to get any solution to the issue concerning the SC employees who were not given promotions even after the law was passed on the Rule of Reservation in promotions. Also the SC promotees were denied new scales and were not given pay protection in promotion, she noted with dismay.
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The SC Commission member interacted with some 30 SC associations from a number of organisations. She took representations from them on the implementation of the Rule of Reservation for SCs in the organisations and said that the commission would study them and take it up with respective managements.
Govt. faulted
She faulted the Government for discontinuing scholarships to SC students studying in distance mode. She also criticised the colleges for asking SC students to pay the fee upfront and take reimbursement from the Government.
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In many colleges the managements were taking an additional amount up to Rs 10,000 from SC students despite the fact that the Government was paying the entire fee of SC students. In Andhra University no SC person was appointed to a focal post since its inception, she said.
In the district there was no SC tahsildar or SHO, she noted and expressed displeasure over the poor implementation of SC (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. She also said that SCs were not getting priority in award of contracts for scavenging work. EPDCL was not following the Rule of Reservation and roster system.
SC national panel member holds talks with steel plant management