Meets LG Ladakh, top officials, various bodies
Calls for strengthening Reservation Policy in CIBS
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 3: A high-level Parliamentary Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, which is on a week-long tour of the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, has sought details of representation of SCs/STs in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Border Roads Organization (BRO) during their meetings with representatives of the three bodies in Leh besides strengthening of Reservation Policy in the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS).
The Committee headed by Dr (Prof) Kirit Premjibhai Solanki and comprising around 30 Members of Parliament today formally began its two days visit to Leh though the members had started gathering in the cold desert region on September 1 and 2.
Solanki also met Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Radha Krishna Mathur in the evening and discussed with him the Reservation Policy in the Union Territory of Ladakh and other welfare measures for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The meeting lasted about half an hour, official sources told the Excelsior.
While Solanki alone met the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, the Parliamentary Panel held discussions with LG’s Advisor Umang Narula and other senior officers of the Union Territory administration regarding socio-economic and educational conditions of SCs/STs in the UT and other welfare measures taken by Social Welfare/Tribal Departments for the two communities.
“The administration is reported to have given detailed account of the welfare measures and Reservation Policy for SC/STs in the Union Territory of Ladakh,” sources said.
The Parliamentary Panel held separate discussions with the management of ITBP, DRDO and BRO regarding representation of SC/STs in services and other welfare measures taken for them.
While there was no official word on the meetings the Parliamentary Committee on Welfare of SC/STs had with ITBP, DRDO and BRO, sources pointed out that top officials of the three Organizations were reported to have given the requisite details sought by the Panel.
Separately, the Parliamentarians also held discussions with SC/ST Employees Welfare Association, if any, or staff members of the two communities of the three bodies including ITBP, DRDO and BRO to ascertain their working conditions, facilities etc and steps required for their welfare.
The MPs also discussed strengthening of Reservation Policy and related matters with the management of the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies and invited their suggestions in this regard during the half an hour long meeting.
Tomorrow, the Parliamentary Committee will visit SC/ST/Tribal villages in Leh to see their social, economic and educational conditions and other welfare schemes.
They will also have meeting with local administration/Social Welfare/ Tribal Departments tomorrow.
The Panel will leave for Srinagar on September 6 and will have hectic schedule of meetings with administration, different Employees Welfare Associations of SCs/STs etc, They are scheduled to return to New Delhi on September 8.
The Panel members comprised Girish Chandra, Santokh Singh Chaudhary, Anil Firojiya, Tapir Gao, Goddeti Madhavi, Pratima Mondal, Ashok Mahadeorao Nete, Vincent H Pala, Chhedi Paswan, Prince Raj, Andimuthu Raja, Upendra Singh Rawat, Sandhya Ray, Ajay Tamta, Rebati Tripura, Kripal Balaji Tumane, Rattan Lal Kataria, Guman Singh Damor, Jagannath Sarkar, all from Lok Sabha, Abir Ranjan Biswas, Shamsher Singh Dullo, Kanta Kardam, Naranbhai J Rathwa, Ram Shakal, Dr Sumer Singh Solanki, K Somaprasad, Pradeep Tamta, Kamakhya Prasad Tasa and Ramkumar Verma, all from Rajya Sabha.
Another Parliamentary Committee on Subordination Legislation headed by Balashowry Vallabhanemi will also be on a four-day visit of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh from September 4.
The Panel will be in Leh from September 4-5 and reach Jammu on September 6. It will be meeting officials of the Border Roads Organization (BRO) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) among others in Leh besides representatives of several companies like LIC and GIC in Jammu.
“Schedule of some other Parliamentary Panels for visits to the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is being finalized and they will set out on the tour of two UTs once their tour schedule is released,” sources said.
Meanwhile, Sikkim Governor Ganga Prasad reached Leh today on a five-day visit of Ladakh.
Tomorrow, Prasad will inaugurate session of Organic Farming Facilitation Centre in Leh in the presence of Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Radha Krishna Mathur.
During past few days, 13 Parliamentary Standing Committees and 300 MPs have visited the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh including PSC on Home Affairs, Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Committees on Urban Development Department, Commerce etc.
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