‘Students belonging to SCs, STs cannot be denied admission on the pretext of fee’

SDMCs told to encourage students from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities in taking admissions in government schools

Students belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes cannot be denied admission on the pretext of fee in government and private schools and colleges, Chairman of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Welfare Committee of the Legislative Council P.M. Narendra Swami has said.

He was chairing a meeting here on Wednesday to review the progress of various schemes and programmes being implemented by various departments for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Bidar districts.

He asked School Development Monitoring Committees to encourage students from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities in taking admissions in government schools. He said that more attention should be given for providing quality education and addressing infrastructure issues by raising funds locally, apart from government grants.

As students in government schools find it difficult to compete with students in private schools, the schemes meant for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should be utilised to address the lack of infrastructure and for appointing guest teachers for providing quality education to the deprived sections.

If the poor and the marginalised sections are deprived of educational opportunities, it leads to social evils and the unemployment rate remains stagnant, Mr. Swamy said.

He said that the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department should formulate a programme according to the population of a particular area. The SCP-TSP funds allocated for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities should be utilized properly for the upliftment of the deprived sections.

Devadasi system

Mr. Swamy stressed the need for taking up awareness programmes in rural parts to eradicate the Devadasi system, a practice under which girls are dedicated to temples.

Devadasi women and their children should be immediately rehabilitated with financial assistance and social security, he added.

He also directed Superintendent of Police Adduru Srinivasulu and Police Commissioner Sharanappa S.D. to deal cases under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act with an iron hand.

Mr. Swamy directed the officers of the Social Welfare Department to visit taluks and monitor the implementation of SCP-TSP programmes in various departments.

Forest committees

He expressed displeasure over the concerned not constituting Forest Protection Committees under rehabilitation schemes for forest dwellers of Konchavaram and Sheribiknalli villages in Chincholi taluk of Kalaburagi district.

MLA Basavaraj Mattimod, MLC Jagdev Guttedar, Regional Commissioner Krishna Bajpai and Deputy Commissioner Fauzia Tarannum were present.

Published - September 26, 2024 07:07 pm IST