SC/SC/OBC Confederation met Sheetal Nanda, Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare; grievances discussed

Jammu, 07.03.21: All India Confederation of SC ST OBC Organisations, J&K met Ms Sheetal Nanda, IAS, Commissioner Secretary to Government, Social Welfare Department, J&K to discuss the grievances faced by SC/ST/OBC communities. The deputation was led by RK Kalsotra, State President Confederation and consisted of Sarwar Chauhan, Retd SSP, Advisor Confederation, Suresh Kumar, Coordinator NSYF.

Rk Kalsotra, State President Confederation, mentioned that the aim of the meeting was to apprise the Social Welfare Department about the issue of Restoration of Reservation in Promotions retrospectively from 2015 and put forth our case at the higher level. The other issues include the filling of 1.04 lakh backlog in SC/ST/OBC recruitment, rising cases of caste based atrocities, issues pertaining to welfare schemes for reserved categories, among others. Colonies made by Housing Boards should have provisions reservation, opportunities in entrepreneurship for reserved categories, reservation in contractual/ad-hoc system of employment.

Moreover, Kalsotra highlighted that the state sponsored loans to reserved categories are filled with terms and conditions which makes it impossible for applicants to avail them. At the Central level and few states have encouraged full capital subsidy or no interest loans, such models should be introduced in J&k as well. Recently, GAD issued an order which mandated formation of an Internal Grievance Redressal Committee for Scheduled Tribes. Kalsotra said that similar committees should be mandated for other reserved communities for the grievance redressal.

Ms Nanda heard all the demands of the confederation patiently and assured that the welfare department would do whatever it can in its capacity.