The government has constituted a committee of secretaries under the chairmanship of cabinet secretary to examine the administrative steps that can be taken to safeguard the interests of scheduled castes communities, like the Madigas and other such groups, who have represented that they are not evenly getting their due share of benefits.
The first meeting of the committee is scheduled on January 23, 2024.
The Committee comprises secretaries of ministries including home, department of personnel and training, tribal affairs, legal affairs and department of social justice and empowerment.
“The committee has been formed on the instruction of prime minister Narendra Modi who is concerned about the status of communities not getting proper benefits despite all the provisions,” said a senior official.
The central government has received representations from state government including including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka for sub-categorisation of SCs, including the Madiga community, on the grounds that the benefits of reservation and welfare and developmental schemes meant for scheduled caste are not percolating evenly among the scheduled caste communities.
The matter has been placed before various courts of law and is at present under consideration of a 7 judges bench of the Supreme Court in the Civil Appeal No. 2317 of 2011.
“The committee will examine the status of such communities and would give a way forward to the government. The ministry of social justice and empowerment will provide necessary secretarial support to the committee,” the official.
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