Chapter - I

Introduction

1.1 Working Group on Empowerment of Scheduled Castes

1.1.1 The Planning Commission, vide their O.M. No. M-12052/6/2010-

2011-SJ&SW, dated 07.04.2011 constituted Working Group on
‘Empowerment of the Scheduled Castes’ for the formulation of Twelfth
Five Year Plan (2012-17) under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of
Social Justice and Empowerment. The Terms of Reference of the Working
Group are as follows:

i. To review the existing approach, strategies and priorities; the

on-going programme and their implementation for the
welfare, development and empowerment of Scheduled Castes
(SCs) and suggest rationalization/minimization of the on-
going related programmes and effective inter-sectoral
convergence and harmonization of schemes with the other
similar social groups;

ii. To identify neglected areas and groups; weakness and

bottlenecks in the implementation and take note of the
persisting and emerging problems/situations related to the
welfare, protection, development and empowerment of the
Scheduled Castes in the changing socio-economic situation
and suggest necessary interventions;

iii. To review the progress of the implementation of Scheduled

Caste Sub-Plan(SCSP) by Central Ministries/Departments and
States/Union Territory Administrations to ensure flow of
‘population proportionate’ funds from other development
sectors and utilisation of Special Central Assistance to SCSP
and suggest necessary measures to improve their
effectiveness;

iv. To review the progress of the implementation of the existing

legislations related to the SCs and mechanisms for their
enforcement and suggest corrective measures;

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 v. To review the functioning of the existing Institutional
arrangements, both at the Central and State levels for
implementation of policies and programmes for empowering
the SCs and suggest measures to make them more effective;

vi. To review and assess the involvement of Panchayati Raj

Institutions/Local Self Government Bodies and Non
Governmental Organisations in the implementation of
programmes of empowering the SCs and suggest measures to
make them more effective;

vii. To review the physical and financial achievements in relation

to the targets fixed under various programmes for the SCs
during the Eleventh Five Year Plan(2007-12) and project
programme-wise requirements, both physical and financial for
Empowering the SCs during the Twelfth Five Year
Plan(2012-17; and

viii. To suggest new areas/schemes for the welfare and

development of the SCs with anticipated physical coverage
and financial requirement during the Twelfth Five Year Plan.

A copy of Planning Commission O.M. dated 07.04.2011 is at Annex

1.1. As per para 3 of this O.M., the Chairperson had co-opted additional
members in the Working Group, vide Ministry’s O.M. dated 12.05.2011,
01.06.2011 and 27.06.2011which are at Annex 1.2A, Annex 1.2B and
Annex 1.2C. Consolidated composition of the Working Group, after
incorporating the names of co-opted members is at Annex 1.3

1.2 The Sub-Groups

1.2.1 Details of the five Sub-Groups constituted by the Chairpersons, vide

Ministry’s O.M. dated 01.06.2011 is at Annex 1.4 in pursuance of the
discussion held in the second meeting dated 23.05.2011, which was
subsequently revised vide Ministry’s O.M. dated 27.06.2011 (Annex 1.5).

1.3 Meetings of the Working Group

The Working Group held five meetings on 28.04.2011, 23.05.2011,

29.08.2011, 21.09.2011, and 29.09.2011. The main business transacted at
the five meetings is summarized below:

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 S. No. Date of meeting Gist of Business transacted
of the Working
Group
1. 28.04.2011 In the first meeting, mandate of the Working
Group as contained in Planning Commission’s
O.M. dated 07.04.2011 was explained, and
members offered their initial views, in a general
discussion.

2. 23.05.2011 A Status Paper on the Scheduled Castes (SCs)

was presented by the Member-Secretary, and
representative of a few other Ministries, It was
decided to constitute five Sub-groups on specific
thematic areas viz.
I. Perspective Planning
II. Social Sectors
III. Economic Development
IV. Strengthening of Delivery Processes &
Mechanism.
V. Awareness Generation, Statistics,
Monitoring, Innovation & Research.
09.06.2011 Chairman of the Working Group held a meeting
with the Chairpersons, Convenors and the
Member-Secretaries of all five sub-groups to
discuss the format of the Report.
3. 29.08.2011 Sub-Groups I, II and V made presentations on
their reports. Sub-Groups III and IV were
requested to expedite their Reports.
4. 21.09.2011 Sub-Groups III and IV made presentations on
their Reports.
5. 29.09.2011 “Core version” of the draft Report of the
Working Group was presented, and discussed.
Chairman was authorized to finalise the Working
Group Report, in the light of the discussions, and
submit it to the Planning Commission,
simultaneously sending it to all Members for
their information.

Minutes of the above five meetings of the Working Group may be seen in
Volume – III of the Report.

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 Chapter – II

Scheduled Castes : Present Status

2.1 Background

Scheduled Castes (SCs) constitute 16.2% of our population as per 2001

Census. Historically, SCs have been subjected to ‘untouchability’ and
consequential exclusion and discrimination, in terms of denial of rights -
educational, economic, social, political and cultural. Disabilities that had
been typically associated with ‘untouchability’, inter-alia, included denial
of access to public and religious places, drinking water sources, education
and residential segregation, etc. This gross discrimination and exclusion
have resulted in widespread deprivation and poverty for SCs.

2.2 Constitutional Provisions relating to Scheduled Castes

2.2.1 As mentioned in Section 2.1 above, Scheduled Castes have

historically suffered grave social disabilities and educational and economic
deprivation arising out of them. Accordingly, special provisions have been
made in the Constitution for advancement of their interests.

2.2.2 Securing "to all its citizens, JUSTICE, social, economic and political"
is the first goal mentioned in the Preamble to the Constitution of India. In
pursuance of this and in recognition of the backwardness of Scheduled
Castes and the social disabilities imposed on them, various special
safeguards have been provided for them in the Constitution.

2.2.3 Art.46, in Chapter IV (Directive Principles of State Policy) of the

Constitution states as follows:

“46. Promotion of educational and economic interests of

Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections.

The State shall promote with special care the educational and
economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, and, in particular, of
the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from
social injustice and all forms of exploitation.”

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2.2.4 The above is the basic provision in the Constitution which warrants
the State to make special efforts for the development of Scheduled Castes.
There are also several other provisions in it concerning SCs, eg. abolition of
‘untouchability’ (Article 17), reservation of seats for SCs in democratic
institutions(Article 330) and in services(Article 335) etc. whose summary
may be seen in Annex 2.1.

2.2.5 Definition of "Scheduled Castes" and manner of their Notification

The term 'Scheduled Castes' is defined in Article 366(24) of the
Constitution of India, as under:-

" “Scheduled Castes” means such castes, races or tribes or parts of

or groups within such castes, races or tribes as are deemed under
article 341 to be Scheduled Castes for the purpose of the
Constitution."

Article 341 of the Constitution is reproduced below :

"341. Scheduled Castes

(1) The President may with respect to any State or Union Territory
and where it is a State after consultation with the Governor thereof, by
public notification, specify the castes, races or tribes or parts of or
groups within castes, races or tribes which shall for the purposes of
this Constitution be deemed to be Scheduled Castes in relation to that
State or Union Territory, as the case may be.

(2) Parliament may by law include in or exclude from the list of

Scheduled Castes specified in a notification issued under clause (1)
any caste, race or tribe or part of or group within any caste, race or
tribe, but save as aforesaid a notification issued under the said clause
shall not be varied by any subsequent notification."

2.3 Presidential Orders regarding Scheduled Castes

2.3.1 Under clause (1) of Article 341 the following six Presidential Orders
have been notified :
1. The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950
2. The Constitution (Union Territory) Scheduled Castes Order,
1951
3. The Constitution (Jammu & Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order,
1956.

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 4. The Constitution (Dadra & Nagar Haveli) Scheduled Castes
Order, 1962
5. The Constitution (Pondicherry) Scheduled Castes Order,
1964
6. Constitution (Sikkim) Scheduled Castes Order, 1978.

2.3.2 Acts amending the above Orders :

The following six Amendment Acts have so far been enacted under
clause (2) of Article 341 of the Constitution; to amend the above Presidential
Orders :

1. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

Orders(Amendment) Act, 1956.
2. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
Orders(Amendment) Act, 1976.
3. The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order(Amendment) Act,
2002
4. The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes)
Orders (Amendment) Act, 2002.
5. The Constitution (Scheduled Cates) Order (Second
Amendment) Act, 2002.
6. The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Act,
2007.

2.4 Criteria followed for specification of a caste as a Scheduled Caste.

In para 7 of Chapter II of the Report of the Advisory Committee on

the revision of the lists of Scheduled Castes, Government of India,
Department of Social Security (known as ‘Lokur Committee Report', year:
1965), it has been mentioned that relevant records show that in drawing up
the list of Scheduled Castes, the test applied was the social, educational and
economic backwardness arising out of historical custom of untouchability.

The Supreme Court in its judgement in Writ Petition (Civil)No. 989 of

1989(decided on 02.05.1990) (Marri Chandra Shekhar Rao (Petitioner) vs.
Dean, Seth G.S. Medical College and Ors.(Respondents) also observed that
extreme social and economic backwardness arising out of the traditional
practice of untouchability is normally considered as criterion for including a
community in the list of Scheduled Castes.

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2.5 Present Number of Scheduled Castes

The total number of Scheduled Castes, as in Oct, 2011, is 1208.

State/UT-wise break up of this figure may be seen in Annex – 2.2

2.6 Demographic Characteristics

2.6.1 SC Population and its Rural-Urban Distribution:

Population of SCs according to the Census 2001 was 16.67 crores

which constituted 16.2% of the total population. Total estimated SC
population in 2011 is 19.47 crore. Rural-Urban breakup of SC and total
population presented below indicates that a higher proportion of SCs live in
rural areas.

Total Population vis-à-vis SC population, in rural and urban areas:

S. No. Category Population, 2001(in crore)
Over-all SC % of SC
1 All –India 102.87 16.66 16.2
2 Rural 74.27 13.21 17.8
3 Urban 28.60 3.45 12.1
(Census, 2001)

Percentage of Total Population vis-à-vis SC population, in rural and

urban areas:

Category Percentage of population living in

Rural Areas Urban Areas
SC 79.6 20.4
All 72.2 27.8
(Census, 2001)

2.6.2 Sex Ratio:

As per the Census, 2001, sex ratio amongst SCs at 936 was slightly
higher than for the general population at 933.

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2.6.3 States with High SC population (in absolute terms):

More than 80% of the total SC population of the country resides in 10

States. State-wise SC population in these States is presented below:-

Top Ten States in terms of SC population

(in Descending order)
S. No. State Scheduled Castes Population
(in Crores)
1 Uttar Pradesh 3.52
2 West Bengal 1.85
3 Bihar 1.31
4 Andhra Pradesh 1.23
5 Tamil Nadu 1.19
6 Maharashtra 0.99
7 Rajasthan 0.97
8 Madhya Pradesh 0.92
9 Karnataka 0.86
10 Punjab 0.70
Total for 10 States 13.54
(Census 2001)
State/UT-wise population of SCs, as per Census 2001, is at Annex 2.3

2.6.4 States/UTs in terms of Percentage of SC Population:

The following table gives States and UTs arranged in descending order in terms
of percentage of SC population:
Category in Sl. No. States/UTs Percentage of SC
terms of population in the
percentage of SC total population of
Population the State/UT
1 Punjab 28.9
2 Himachal Pradesh 24.7
I. > 20%
3 West Bengal 23.0
4 Uttar Pradesh 21.2
II. 15-20% 5 Tamil Nadu 19.0
6 Uttarakhand 17.9
7 Chandigarh (UT) 17.5
8 Tripura 17.4
9 Rajasthan 17.2
10 NCT of Delhi (UT) 16.9

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 11 Orissa 16.5
12 Haryana 16.4
13 Karnataka 16.2
14 Andhra Pradesh 16.2
15 Puducherry (UT) 16.2
16 Bihar 15.7
17 Madhya Pradesh 15.2
18 Jharkhand 11.8
III. 10-15% 19 Chhattisgarh 11.6
20 Maharashtra 10.2
21 Kerala 9.8
22 Jammu & Kashmir 7.6
IV. 5-10% 23 Gujarat 7.1
24 Assam 6.9
25 Sikkim 5.0
26 Daman & Diu (UT) 3.1
27 Manipur 2.6
28 Goa 1.8
29 D & N Haveli (UT) 1.9
30 Arunachal Pradesh 0.6
V. <5%
31 Meghalaya 0.5
32 Mizoram 0.0
33 Nagaland 0.0
34 A & N Islands (UT) 0.0
35 Lakshadweep (UT) 0.0
(Census 2001)

The above table shows that the highest proportion of SC population is

in Punjab (28.9%). Four States –Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal
and Uttar Pradesh - have more than 20% population belonging to SCs.
Another six States and two UTs - Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Tripura,
Rajasthan, Orissa, Haryana, and NCT of Delhi and Chandigarh - have
percentage of SC population higher than the national average of 16.2%. Four
North-Eastern States viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and
Nagaland and both the Island UTs viz. A&N Islands and Lakshadweep have
less than one percent population belonging to SCs. In fact, in the case of
Mizoram, Nagaland and the two Island UTs percentage of SC is zero.

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2.6.5 Districts with more than 20% SC Population:

60 districts in the country had over 25% SC population according to 2001 census,
while 148 Districts had over 20 % SC population. Their details are as follows :
Distribution of Districts by % of SC population
S. No.
% of SC Population No. of Districts
1. 20-25 88
2 25-30 39
3. 30-40 19
4. 40-50 1*
5. >50 1
Total 148
(Census, 2001)

The two districts with >40% SC population were Cooch Bihar (50.1%), and
Nawanshahar (40.5%) in West Bengal, and Punjab, respectively. State/UT-
wise break-up of the above 148 districts, with States arranged in descending
order of number of such districts, is given below:

State/UT-wise No. of Districts with >20% SC Population

No. of districts with > 20% SC population
Of which Districts with SC
Sl. State/Union
Population
No. Territory
30- 25- 20-25%
Total >40% 40% 30%
1 Uttar Pradesh* 40 - 4 12 24
2 Punjab 17 1 7 4 5
3 Tamil Nadu 12  - 3 4 5
4 West Bengal 11 1 3 5 2
5 Madhya Pradesh 10 - - 10
6 Himachal Pradesh 10  -  - 6 4
7 Haryana 8  -  - 3 5
8 Rajasthan 7  - 1 1 5
9 Orissa 7 - - - 7
10 Karnataka 6  -  - 1 5
11 Bihar 5  -  - 1 4
12 Uttarakhand 5  -  - 1 4
13 Jharkhand 3  - 1 1 1
14 Andhra Pradesh 2 - - - 2

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 15 Jammu & Kashmir 2 - - - 2
16 Delhi 2 - - - 2
17 Chhatisgarh 1 - - - 1
Total 148 2 19 39 88
(Census, 2001)

* Note: One more District, in Sonbhadra of UP had >40% SC population as

per 2001 Census. However, consequent upon specification of various
erstwhile SC communities in Sonbhadra District as Scheduled Tribes
(STs) in 2003, the percentage of SCs in the District has come down to
around 15%.

2.6.6 Blocks with more than 25% SC Population

1252 of the total 6,413 blocks in the country (i.e. roughly one fifth)
had over 25% SC population as per 2001 Census. Their details are as
follows:

Distribution of Blocks by % of SC population

S. No.
% of SC Population No. of Blocks
1. 25-30 652
2. 30-40 465
3. 40-50 102
4 >50 33
Total 1252

State/UT-wise break up of the above 1252 blocks, with States

arranged in descending order of no. of such blocks, is given below:

State/UT-wise No. of Blocks with > 25% SC Population

Sl. State/Union No. of Blocks with > 25% SC population
No. Territory Total Of which, Blocks with SC
Population
>40% 30-40% 25-30%
1 Uttar Pradesh 307 33 100 174
2 Andhra Pradesh 174 2 55 117
3 West Bengal 170 44 81 45
4 Tamil Nadu 153 16 63 74
5 Punjab 121 28 67 26

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6 Himachal Pradesh 42 4 12 26
7 Bihar 42 0 22 20
8 Karnataka 35 0 5 30
9 Uttarakhand 31 0 7 24
10 Orissa 30 0 5 25
11 Jharkhand 27 2 9 16
12 Madhya Pradesh 27 0 5 22
13 Haryana 24 1 10 13
14 Rajasthan 21 3 6 12
15 Jammu & 15
Kashmir 1 9 5
16 Chhattisgarh 9 0 4 5
17 Tripura 7 0 1 6
18 Maharashtra 6 0 0 6
19 Assam 5 0 3 2
20 Kerala 5 1 1 3
21 Puducherry 1 0 0 1
Total 1252 135 465 652
(Census, 2001)

Note: These figures include Blocks of Sonbhadra District which as per 2001
Census, had > 40% or 50% SC population and would need to be
revised downwards in view the note at the end of para 2.6.5.

2.6.7 Villages with more than 50% and 40% SC population:

According to 2001 Census, of about 6 lakh villages in the country,

about 44,000 and 71,400 villages had more than 50% and 40% SC
population respectively. State/UT-wise break-up of the above villages, with
States arranged in descending order in terms of number of villages with over
40% SC population, is as follows:

State/UT-wise No. of villages with >50%/40% SC Population

Sl. Name of No. of Villages with
No. State/UT >50% SC >40% SC
population population
(1) (2) (3) (4)
1 Uttar Pradesh 10266* 17696*
2 West Bengal 7555 10391
3 Orissa 2514 4185
4 Bihar 2476 4135

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 5 Rajasthan 2467 4116
6 Madhya Pradesh 2079 3968
7 Himachal Pradesh 2594 3891
8 Punjab 2095 3830
9 Tamil Nadu 2169 3562
10 Karnataka 2150 3478
11 Jharkhand 1891 2732
12 Uttarakhand 1442 2127
13 Andhra Pradesh 908 1882
14 Chhattisgarh 987 1359
15 Assam 883 1184
16 Maharashtra 576 1134
17 Haryana 391 752
18 Jammu & Kashmir 500 735
19 Gujarat 50 117
20 Tripura 30 64
21 Manipur 24 26
22 Puducherry 14 25
23 Meghalaya 7 8
24 Delhi 2 9
25 Arunachal Pradesh 3 3
26 Kerala 6 8
27 Sikkim 1 1
28 Chandigarh - 1
Total 44080 71419
(Census, 2001)

Note: These figures include villages of Sonbhadra district which as

per 2001 Census, had > 40% or 50% SC population and would need to
be revised downwards in view the note at the end of para 2.6.5.

2.6.8 SC population in the 0-24 age group:

The age group 0-6 years is relevant for Early Childhood Care and the
age group 6-24 years is relevant for Education. Thus, the population size in
the 0-24 years age group has special significance. Projected SC population
in the age group 0-24 years for 2011 is 10.1 crore. Age group wise
distribution is given below:

Age Group wise distribution of SC population

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 S. No. Age Group Estimated SC Population in 2011
(in years) (in crore)
Total Male Female
1 0-6 2.8 1.4 1.4
2 (i) 6-14 3.6 1.9 1.7
(ii) 14-18 1.5 0.8 0.7
(iii) 18-24 2.1 1.0 1.1
6-24
(relevant for education) 7.3 3.8 3.5
3 0-24 10.1 5.2 4.9
(Census, 2001)

The manner in which and the extent to which this segment of SC

population, measuring roughly 10 crores, is cared for and supported, will
determine to a large extent, how equitable our society and country will be in
the coming decades.

2.6.9 Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers :

National Scheme of Liberation and Rehabilitation of Scavengers

and their Dependents (NSLRS)

A National Scheme of Liberation and Rehabilitation of Scavengers

and their Dependents (NSLRS) was implemented during 1992-2005 to
rehabilitate manual scavengers and their dependents in alternative
occupations. As per reports received from State Governments, about 7.70
lakh manual scavengers and their dependents were to be rehabilitated under
NSLRS, of which about 4.28 lakh beneficiaries were assisted for
rehabilitation under the Scheme.

Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual

Scavengers (SRMS)

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment introduced a ‘Self

Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers’ (SRMS) in
January 2007 with the objective of rehabilitating remaining manual
scavengers and their dependents by March, 2009. Under the Scheme,
identified beneficiaries are provided loan, at subsidized rate of interest (4-
6% per annum), and credit linked capital subsidy (@ 50% of the project
cost, for projects up to Rs. 25,000, and @ 25% for projects above Rs.
25,000, with a minimum of Rs. 12,500 and maximum of Rs. 20,000) for
setting up self employment projects costing up to Rs. 5.00 lakh. It also has

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liberal provisions for training of beneficiaries in marketable skills to enhance
their employability. They are paid stipend of Rs. 1000 per month during the
period of training.

The SRMS originally envisaged rehabilitation of all manual

scavengers in alternative occupations by 31.3.2009. Subsequently this
deadline was extended up to 31.3. 2010. During updation of data of manual
scavengers and their dependents for implementation of SRMS, 18
States/UTs had reported existence of 1,18,474 Manual
Scavengers/dependents. All these States/UTs have confirmed disbursement
of loan and capital subsidy to all eligible and willing, 78,941 beneficiaries,
by 31.6.2010 for their rehabilitation in alternative occupations.

The National Advisory Council (NAC) in its Resolution of

23.10.2010, regarding eradication of Manual Scavenging, had, inter alia,
recommended carrying out a new survey of manual scavengers in each State
and UT. Accordingly, a fresh survey of manual scavengers is being planned.

2.7 Educational Status of Scheduled Castes

2.7.1 Literacy:
As per the last five Census Literacy rates separately for SCs and overall
population, by sex, are presented below:
Literacy Rates
Census Over all SC
Male Female Total Male Female Total
1961 34.4 13 24 17 3.3 10.3
1971 39. 5 18.7 29.5 22.4 6.4 14.7
1981 46.9 24.8 36.2 31.1 10.9 21.4
1991 64.1 39.3 52.2 49.9 23.8 37.4
2001 75.3 53.7 64.8 66.6 41.9 54.7
(Census, 2001)

Thus, the gap between SC and overall population in terms of literacy

rate, which was 14 percentage points in 1961, came down to 10.1 percentage
points in 2001. There has been considerable improvement in overall and
female literacy rates for SCs which increased from 10.3% for all SCs and
3.3% for female SCs in 1961, to 54.7% for all SCs and 41.9% for SC
females in 2001. Also, the gap between SC female and over all female
literacy rates declined from 15.5 percentage points in 1991 to 11.8
percentage points in 2001.

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Note: The above table compares the literacy rate of SCs vis-à-vis All,
which is an inadequate comparison. The comparison between
SCs/STs on the one hand, and non-SC/ST population on the other,
would have given a better picture of the inequality.

SC Communities with Very Low Female Literacy Rate

There can be several criteria for determining “vulnerability” e.g.

degree of Social discrimination and exploitation, levels of educational and
economical development etc. However, a simple and reliable indicator
would probably be the female literacy rate of the community.

As per 2001 Census, over-all and SC literacy rates were as follows:-

Category Literacy Rate (in %age)
Persons Male Female
All 64.8 75.3 53.7
SC 54.7 66.6 41.9

Thus the national SC female literacy rate in 2001 was about 42%.

At present, there are 1208 communities specified as SCs in 26 States

and 5 UTs of the country. (A community specified as SC in one State or UT
is counted as one unit). The general approach is to treat SCs as a single
homogeneous group. However, there are, in fact, considerable disparities
among various SC communities. An exercise undertaken to work out female
literacy rate of each SC community, as per figures of 2001 Census, shows
that there are 15 SC communities, each with a population of 1 lakh or above,
whose female literacy rate, as per 2001 Census, was 20% or less i.e. less
than half of the national SC female literacy rate. All these 15 communities
belong to just three States viz. Bihar, Jharkhand and UP, and include
Musahars.

The above list contains eight communities of Bihar, five of Jharkhand,

and two of UP. Three communities appear twice in the list viz. “Musahar”
(in Bihar & UP) and “Bhuiya” and “Dom, Dhangad” (in Bihar &
Jharkhand). Besides, the female literacy rate of Musahar in Jharkhand is also
well below 20% (8.1%, to be precise), though their number in Jharkhand, as
reported in 2001 Census, was just 20,000. The total population of these 15
SC communities is 1.32 crore. Of these, three communities have a
population of over a million each, and all these three are from Bihar. These

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are “Musahar” (2.1 million, with 3.9%, female literacy); “Chamar, Mochi”
(4.1 million, with 16.5% female literacy) and “Dusadh/Dhari/Dharhi” (4
million, with 18.5%, female literacy).

Thus, the 15 communities mentioned in Annex 2.4 (as also the

numerically small ones whose female literacy rate is below 20%) could be
treated as vulnerable and specially marginalized SC communities.

The above list would need to be reviewed and revised, to the extent
necessary, once community-wise literacy data becomes available from the
2011 Census.

Other criteria for identifying specially vulnerable SC communities

also need to be developed, and applied.

2.7.2 Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER):

As per the abstract of Selected Educational Statistics, 2008-09

published by the Ministry of Human Resource Development the GER for
various age groups, separately for SCs and overall population is presented
below:

Age-Group (with Gross Enrollment Ratio

current Educational Boys Girls Total
Stage) SC All SC All SC All
6-11 years (Primary) 130.18 114.34 130.6 114.41 130.12 114.37
11-14 years (Upper 86.84 77.90 83.57 74.42 85.28 76.23
Primary)
6-14 years (Elementary) 114.6 100.45 112.87 99.09 113.49 99.80
14-18 years (Secondary) 44.36 50.56 39.49 43.10 42.11 47.01
18-23 years (Higher 13.2 16.1 8.6 11.3 11.0 13.8
Education)*
(Abstract of Selected Educational Statistics, 2008-09; MHRD)
*(Abstract, Statistics of Higher Education, 2008-09, MHRD)

Thus, GER for SCs in 2008-09 was higher than for the overall
population for the age group of 6-14 years, which may probably be due
to higher proportion of under-age and over-age SC children enrolled in
classes I-VII However, GER for SCs was lower than for the overall
population in the age groups of 14-18 years and 18-24 years (for 2008-

17
09), which are relevant for secondary and higher education. This trend
has been observed for both boys and girls.

Time series data in respect of GER for various levels of education for
SCs and total population from the years 2001-02 to 2008-09 are at Annex
2.5.

Note: The above table compares the literacy rate of SCs vis-à-vis All,
which is an inadequate comparison. The comparison between
SCs/STs on the one hand, and non-SC/ST population on the other,
would have given a better picture of the inequality.

2.7.3 School Attendance Rates (SAR):

School Attendance Rate is defined as the number of students in the

age group of 5 to 14 years found attending school in a year divided by the
estimated number of all such children. The National Sample survey
Organization (NSSO) in its various surveys has provided estimates of SAR.
These rates for the years 1983, 1987-88, 1993-94, 1999-2000 and 2004-05,
separately for boys and girls, in rural and urban areas, are presented below:

Year of School Attendance Rates

Sample Rural Urban
Survey Boys Girls Boys Girls
SC NON SC NON SC NON SC NON
SC/ST SC/ST SC/ST SC/ST
1983 48.9 59.2 25.5 39.2 66.7 76.5 52.3 69.1
1987-88 49.8 63.4 31.1 45.8 68.2 78.0 53.8 72.6
1993-94 64.3 74.9 46.2 61.0 77.5 86.8 68.6 83.0
1999-00 70.1 80.2 58.6 73.8 79.2 88.0 73.9 85.4
2004-05 80.9 87.6* 73.7 84.2* 85.0 91.5* 79.3 91.4*
* Rate is for non-SC/ST and OBC.
(NSS Reports)

The above table shows considerable improvement in the school

attendance of SC children in the age group of 5 to 14 years over the five
surveys. However, even as per the latest survey, rates for SCs are lower
than for the non SC/ST population.

2.7.4 Dropout Rates:

18
 School dropout rate is an important indicator of educational
development. Dropout rates for the last available year viz. 2008-09, are
given below:

Dropout Rates (%) 2008-09 Difference between

SC and ALL
Class
SC ALL (Percentage Points)
Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total
I to V 30.0 22.7 26.7 26.7 22.9 24.9 3.9 -0.2 1.8
I to 50.8 43.9 47.9 44.9 38.9 42.2 5.9 5 5.7
VIII
I to X 66.5 66.6 66.6 55.8 55.9 55.8 10.7 10.7 10.8
(Abstract of Selected Educational Statistics, 2008-09; MHRD)

Thus, dropout rates amongst SC students continue to be higher

than for overall population. Further, the dropout rates increased for SC
students at a faster rate for higher classes compared to over all rates.
Similar trends have been observed for boys and girls. Difference
between the dropout rates for SC and overall is considerably greater for
girls than for boys.

Time series data in respect of Drop-Out rates in classes I-X for SCs
and total population from the years 1990-91 to 2008-09 are at Annex 2.6.

Note: The above table compares the literacy rate of SCs vis-à-vis All,
which is an inadequate comparison. The comparison between
SCs/STs on the one hand, and non-SC/ST population on the other,
would have given a better picture of the inequality.

2.7.5 Gender parity index

Gender parity index is an important indicator of educational

development.

The Index for the last available year viz. 2008-09, are given below:

Gender Parity Index at various levels of Education-For SCs and

Total Population, 2008-09
Gender Parity Index (in %)

19
 Stages
Total SCs
Primary (I-V)* 1.00 1.00
Upper Primary (VI-VIII)* 0.96 0.96
Elementary (I-VIII)* 0.99 0.99
Secondary/Sr. Secondary (IX-XII)* 0.85 0.89
Higher Education (18-23 year)** 0.70 0.66

Note:- Gender Parity Index (GPI) is the Ratio of Girls GER to Boys GER
in a given level of Education.
Source: *Abstract, Statistics of School Education, 2008-09, &
**Abstract, Statistics of Higher & Technical Education, 2008-09,
Ministry of Human Resource Development

Time series data in respect of Gender parity index for Elementary

education (Classes I-VIII) for SCs and total population from the years 1990-
91 to 2008-09 are at Annex 2.7.

2.8 Health & Nutrition

2.8.1 Maternal and Child Health Indicators:

Infant Mortality Rate is defined as the number of deaths in the first

year of life per thousand live births, while under five Mortality Rate is
defined as the number of deaths in the first five years of life per thousand
live births. Another important indicator of maternal and child health is
percentage of institution deliveries and percentage of full immunization.
These rates for SC and overall population as per the National Family Health
Survey (NFHS), 2005-06, carried out by the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare are given below:-

Maternal and Child Health Indicators

20
 Social Mortality Rates Institutio Full
Group Infant Under five Maternal nal Immunization
Mortality Mortality Mortality Deliveries of Children
(%)
(%)
SCs 50.7 66.4 Not 32.9 39.7
Available
All 41.5 51.7 301* 51.0 53.8
*Number of deaths per lakh live births for the period 2001-03 from Sample
Registration System, Office of RGI, India. Information not available for SCs
separately.
(NFHS, 2005-06)

These figures indicate higher risk to children born in SC families

compared to others. Further, lower percentage of institutional deliveries
and lower level of full immunization of children amongst SC families also
indicate lower health status of SC families.

2.8.2 Nutritional Status:

Nutritional Status is another important measure of the society’s health.

Information collected during NFHS, 2005-06, on nutritional status for SCs
and over all is given below:

Nutritional Status of Children and Women

Nutritional Deficiency %
Percentage of Percentage
Social (weight for height) for
women with of Anemic
Group children
anemia Children
Under age of 5 years
SCs 21.0 58.3 72.2
All 16.3 51.3 63.8
(NFHS, 2005-06)

Higher Nutritional deficiency and higher percentage of anemic women

and children in SC families than in over all population indicates lower
health status of SCs.

2.9 Economic Development

21
2.9.1 Workforce Participation by Type of Work:

Percentage distribution of workers by various types of activities, as

per Census, 2001, is given below:

Sl. Type of activity % of total Main Workers

No. SC Total
1. Workers engaged in Agriculture of 61.2 53.3
whom 22.1 33.1
(i) Cultivators 39.2 20.3
(ii) Agriculture Labour
2. Non-agriculture workers 38.8 46.6
(Census,2001)

More than 53% of main workers in overall population were engaged in

agricultural activities as against 61.2% for SC population. However,
proportion of cultivators was much higher for overall population at
33.1% against 22.1% for SCs. On the other hand percentage of SCs
engaged as agriculture labor was nearby double that for the population
as a whole.

2.9.2 Size of Landholdings and Incidence of Landlessness:

Land holdings:

As per the Agricultural Census, 1995-96, the share of operational land

holdings by SCs in the total land holdings was 12.7 %, and in the area under
operational holdings, the share was even lower at 8.2%. The average area
per operational holding of SCs was only 0.91 hectares as compared to 1.4
hectares for all social groups.

Landlessness:

According to NSS, 2004-05, percentage of landlessness among SCs

living in rural areas was 78 percent as against 57 percent for non-SC/STs.
Thus, landlessness amongst Scheduled Castes is 40% higher than for the
non-SC/STs. Largest number of rural SC landless households was in Bihar
followed by Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab and Tamil Nadu respectively.

2.9.3 Distribution of Surplus Land:

22
 Government have been distributing surplus ceiling land, donated land
and treatable waste land to landless agriculture labours specially those
belonging to SCs. The availability of land from various sources and its
distribution as in June, 2007, is presented below:

(i) Distribution of Ceiling Surplus Land (as on 30.6.07)

1. Surplus land 68.61 lakh acres
2. Area not available for distribution (under 8.56 lakh acres
litigation)
3. Taken over land 60.05 lakh acres
4. Distributed to landless poor 49.88 lakh acres
(to 53.98 lakh
persons)
5. % of SCs among the allottees 39%
6. Reserved/Transferred for public purposes 2.39 lakh acres
7. Unfit for cultivation 0.94 lakh acres
8. Taken over land available for distribution 6.84 lakh acres
[(3)-(4)-(6)-(7)]

(ii) Distribution of Donated Land (as on Sept, 2006)

S. No. Description Area in lakh acres
1. Land donated 21.59
2. Land distributed 16.57
3. Land available for distribution 5.02

(iii) Waste Land Atlas of India, 2005

S. No. Description Area in lakh hectare
1. Waste and Degraded land 552.7
2. Of which, Treatable land 431.5
Of which
(i) Non-forest land 304.9
(ii) Degraded forest 126.6

(Extracted from the Report of Sub-Group I on “Land, Common

Property Resources and Housing” of the Committee of Ministers on
Dalit Affairs)

It would be seen from the above that (6.84+5.02 =) 11.86 lakh acres
was available for distribution among the landless in 2006-07. Besides, about

23
305 lakh hectares of non-forest wasteland can also be treated and reclaimed,
and then allotted for various purposes.

2.9.4 Employment in Government:

SC representation in Central services in 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2008 is given

below:-
SC employees as % of All employees
Group
1994 1999 2004 2008
A 10.3 11.3 12.2 12.5
B 12.1 12.7 14.5 14.9
C 15.7 15.8 16.9 15.7
D 20.5 20.0 18.4 19.4
Total 16.9 16.7 17.1 16.51
( Annual Reports of Deptt. Of Personnel and Training)

Thus, share of SCs in Central Government employment has decreased from

17.1% in 2004 to 16.51% in 2008. However, though over all
representation of SCs in Central Government employment has been
achieved more than 15%, employment at the level of Group A still
remains lower than the desired level.

2.9.5 Incidence of Poverty:

Percentage of persons below poverty line for SCs and overall

population, separately for rural and urban areas, in 1993-94 and 2004-05 are
given below:

Percentage of Persons below Poverty Line

Category 1993-94 2004-05
Rural Urban Rural Urban
All 37.3 32.4 28.3 25.7
SCs 48.1 49.5 36.8 39.9
GAP (% 10.8 17.1 8.5 14.2
points)
(Planning Commission: XI Plan document)

Thus, while percentage of SC below the poverty line is coming down, as is

the gap between SCs and overall population, there continues to be higher
prevalence of poverty amongst SCs compared to the population as a

24
whole. Also, the gap between SCs and overall population is higher in
urban than the rural areas.

2.9.6 Access to Safe Drinking Water, Toilet and Electricity:

The information collected in this regard during Census, 2001

separately for SC and overall population is presented below:

Household Amenity Percentage of Households having Access to

Household Amenities, 2001
SC Non SC/ST
Safe Drinking Water 81.1 79.2
Toilet 23.7 42.3
Electricity 44.3 61.4
(Census 2001)

Thus, SC households had slightly better access to safe drinking water

compared to others. But their access to toilet facilities and electricity
was considerably lower.

2.
10 Important Protective Legislations & Other Laws important for SCs

2.10.1 The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955

Article 17 of the Constitution abolished ‘untouchability’, and forbade

its practice in any form, and made the enforcement of any disability arising
out of ‘untouchability’ an offence punishable in accordance with the law.

In order to enforce Article 17 of the Constitution, the Untouchability

(Offences) Act, 1955 was enacted by the Parliament. Subsequently, to
enlarge its scope, the Act was revised in November 1976 and renamed as the
Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955. The Act extends to the whole of India
and offences under it are cognizable as well as non-compoundable.

2.10.2 The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention

of Atrocities) Act, 1989

To check and deter crimes against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled

Tribes, the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of
Atrocities) Act, 1989 was brought into force w.e.f. 31.01.1990. The

25
provisions of the Act extend to the whole of India except the State of Jammu
and Kashmir. The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention
of Atrocities) Rules, 1995 were notified under the Act on 31.03.1995, which,
among other things, provide for relief and rehabilitation to the affected
persons.

2.10.3 Division of Responsibility at the Central Government level

in regard to implementation of the above Acts : In regard to
implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 and the
Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,
1989, the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961,
provide as under:-

Ministry of Home Affairs:

Criminal offences against women, children and members of the Scheduled
Castes, Scheduled Tribes, including those under the Protection of Civil
Rights Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes
(Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, other Backward Classes, Minorities
and other vulnerable groups.
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment:
Implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 and the
Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,
1989, excluding the administration of criminal justice in regard to offences
in so far as they relate to Scheduled Castes.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs:

Implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 and the
Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,
1989, excluding the administration of criminal justice in regard to offences
in so as they relate to Scheduled Tribes.

26
2.10.4 The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction
of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act 1993 : This Act, notified on
05.06.1993 provides for the prohibition of employment of manual
scavengers as well as construction or continuance of dry latrines and for the
regulation of construction and maintenance of water-seal latrines and for
matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The Act in the first
instance applies to the whole of the States of Andhra Pradesh, Goa.
Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tripura and West Bengal and to all the Union
territories and it shall also apply to such other State which adopts this Act by
resolution passed in that behalf under clause (1) of Article 252 of the
Constitution. Under the Act, "manual scavenger" means a person engaged in
or employed for manually carrying human excreta and the expression
"manual scavenging" shall be construed accordingly. Likewise "dry latrine"
means a latrine other than a water-seal latrine.

2.10.5 There are certain other laws which are also important for
the Scheduled Castes. Some of are as follows :

i) Labour laws

a) The Employee’s Compensation Act, 1923

b) The Minimum Wages Act, 1948
c) The Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970
b) The Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008

The above Acts confer various rights on the labourers in

un-organised sector, majority of which belong to Scheduled
Castes.

ii) Right of Children to Free And Compulsory Education Act ,

2009.

The Act in section 12 (1) (c) provides reservation in class

I, to the extent of at least 25% of its strength of that class for,
inter-alia, children belonging to “disadvantaged group”. SCs are
indicated within the definition of “Disadvantaged Group”.

iii) Legal Services Authorities Act,1987

27
 Section 12 (a) of the Act confers a right upon, inter-alia,
SCs to legal services for the purpose of filing or defending a
case.

iv) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee

Act, 2005

The Act gives special focus to provide irrigation facility

to land owned by households, inter-alia, belonging to the
Scheduled Castes

2.11 Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and atrocity prone areas :

2.11.1 The term “atrocity” under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled
Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 means an offence punishable
under Section 3 of the Act. The following table shows the Offences vis-à-vis
prescribed punishments under the Act :

S. No Offence Prescribed
Punishment
1 - Forces to drink or eat any inedible Imprisonment for a
substance; term not less than 6
- Causes injury or annoyance; months but may
- Derogatory act; extend to 5 years,
- Wrongful occupation or and fine.
dispossession of land;
- Begar or forced labour or bonded
labour;
- Forcing not exercise right to
frachise;
- Institution of false, malicious or
vexatious suit;
- False and frivolous information;
- Insult, intimidation and
humiliation;
- Outrage the modesty of a women
and
sexual exploitation;

28
 - Fouling of water;
- Denial of customary right of
passage;
- Making one desert place of
residence;
- Giving false evidence.

2 Gives or fabricates false evidence to get Imprisonment for

him/her convicted of an offence which is life, and fine. If the
of capital nature false evidence leads
to execution,
punishable with
death
3 If the false evidence leads to conviction Imprisonment for a
not capital in nature but punishable with term of not less than
imprisonment for a term of 7 years or, 6 months but may
more extend to 7 years or
upwards, and fine.
4 Commits mischief by fire or any Imprisonment for a
explosive substance intending to cause term of not less than
damage to property, building, human 6 months but may
dwelling etc. extend to 7 years or
for life, and fine.
5 Commits any offence punishable under Imprisonment for
IPC with imprisonment for ten years or life, and fine
more

2.11.2 A study conducted by the National Commission for Scheduled

Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the year 1990 on, “ Atrocities on Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes—Causes and Remedies”, mentioned various
factors responsible for atrocities such as, land disputes, land alienation,
bonded labour, indebtedness, non-payment of minimum wages and non-
economic causes like caste prejudices, practice of untouchability, deep
rooted social resentment, etc.

2.11.3The following table indicates the incidence of crime against

Scheduled Castes for the period 2001 to 2009.

29
 Crimes against Scheduled Castes, 2003-09

S. Crime- Years %
N Head Vari
o. atio
n in
200
9
over
200
8
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
1. Murder 581 654 669 673 674 626 624 -0.3
2. Rape 1089 1157 1172 1217 1349 1457 1346 -7.6
3. Kidnapping 232 253 258 280 332 482 512 6.2
&
Abduction
4. Dacoity 24 26 26 30 23 51 44 -
13.7
5. Robbery 70 72 80 90 86 85 70 -
17.6
6. Arson 204 211 210 226 238 225 195 -
13.3
7. Hurt 3969 3824 3847 3760 3814 4216 4410 4.6
8. Protection 634 364 291 405 206 248 168 -
of Civil 32.3
Rights Act
9. SC/ST 8048 8891 8497 8581 9819 11602 11143 -3.9
(Prevention
of
Atrocities)
Act
10. Others 11401 11435 11077
1180 13490 14623 15082 3.1
8
Total 26252 26887 26127 2707 30031 33615 33594 -0.1
0
Source : "Crime in India-2009", National Crime Records Bureau,
Ministry of Home Affairs.

30
2.11.4 Atrocity Prone Areas : The Governments of Andhra Pradesh,
Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh have
identified certain atrocity prone areas in their respective States. State Govts.
have been especially request to carefully identify atrocity-prone areas, and
evolve a special package for their development, which may include
appropriate income generating beneficiary oriented schemes, promotion of
Self Help Groups especially for women and up gradation of infrastructure
facilities like link roads.

2.12 The SCSP Strategy

2.12.1 The strategy of Special Component Plan (SCP) for Scheduled

Castes was initiated in 1978-79 to ensure flow of SC population
proportionate outlays with corresponding benefits for the development of
SCs, out of the total Central/State Plan Outlays. The strategy, on the lines of
the Tribal Sub Plan was evolved with a view to expedite socio-economic
development of the Scheduled Castes. The Prime Minister had, in his
address to the NDC on 27.6.2005, stated as follows: -

"If the benefits of growth have to reach all sections of our diverse
society, there is a need to equip them with the necessary skills and
resources to become active participants in growth processes. This is the
only way of achieving our dream of an inclusive, prosperous society. In
the mid-1970s, the Special Component Plan and the Tribal Sub-Plan
were initiated. Tribal Sub-Plans and Special Component Plans should
be an integral part of Annual Plans as well as Five Year Plans, making
provisions therein non-divertible and non-lapsable, with the clear
objective of bridging the gap in socio-economic development of the SCs
and STs within a period of 10 years"

2.12.1 Scheduled Caste Sub Plan- The name SCP was changed to
Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP) in 2006. As per Planning Commission
Guidelines of 2005-06, SCSP is to be formulated by States/UTs and Central
Ministries/ Departments to channelise flow of outlays and benefits from
their Plans in proportion to the percentage share of Scheduled Castes in total
population. At present, 27 States/UTs having sizeable SC population are
implementing Special Component Plan. The details of total State Plan
Outlay, flow to SCP as reported by the State Governments and UT
Administrations for Seven years are given below: -

31
 Year SC Population % % of SCP Outlay to State
(2001) Plan Outlay

2004-2005 11.06
2005-2006 12.09
2006-2007 13.73
2007-2008 16.23 15.30
2008-2009 14.85
2009-2010 14.56
2010-2011 14.67

The details of State/UT- wise SCSP Outlay/Expenditure during the

first three years of the Eleventh Plan and SCSP Outlay during 2010-11 is at
Annexure IX .

2.12.2 As can be seen, the percentage of allocation under SCSP in the

last three years of the Tenth and four years of Eleventh Five Year Plan has
not been commensurate with the 16.23% share of Scheduled Castes in the
total population. There has, however, been steady increase in percentage
allocations under SCSP.

While compliance with the SCSP guidelines of Planning Commission

by the State Governments has improved considerably over the years, their
compliance by Central Ministries has not yet made adequate progress. A
summary of the implementation status of SCSP by States/UTs is as follows:

S. No. Category States/UTs

1 States/UTs which areAndhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh,
earmarking SCSP funds inHimachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir,
proportion to their SCKerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Population. Orissa, Punjab, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu,
Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, West
Bengal, Chandigarh, and Delhi.
2 States/UTs which are notAssam, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana,
earmarking SCSP funds inJharkhand, Karnataka, Manipur,
proportion to their SCRajasthan, Tripura, and Puducherry.
Population.

32
 Due to active persuasion by this Ministry, the Planning Commission
constituted a Task Force, in June 2010 under the chairmanship of its
member, Dr. Narendra Jadhav, to re-examine and revise the extant
Guidelines for implementation of Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-
Plan (TSP).

The Task Force after holding wide consultations with various

stakeholders submitted its report regarding revision of SCSP/TSP guidelines
in respect of Central Ministries/Departments to the Deputy Chairman,
Planning Commission in November, 2010. The Task Force had inter alia
recommended a differentiated approach for Central Ministries/Departments
for earmarking Annual Plan Outlays under SCSP into four categories, as
follows:

S. No. Obligations No. of

Ministries/Deptts.
1. no obligation for earmarking funds under (43) *
SCSP
2. required to do partial earmarking <16.2% (10)
3. required to earmark between 15 to 16.2% (9)
required to earmark >16.2% (7)
*figures in brackets indicate no. of Central Ministries/Departments.

The commission accepted the recommendations of the Task Force,

and issued revised guidelines accordingly vide d.o letter dated 15.12.2010 of
its Member-Secretary, to the Central Ministries/Departments, inter alia,
conveying that, the Central Ministries/Departments, should:

o Ensure appropriate earmarking of funds under SCSP and TSP

in the Annual Plan proposal 2011-12 of the
Ministries/Departments.,
o Scheme-wise earmarked funds under SCSP and TSP must be
separately indicated in the Statement of Budget Estimates
(SBE) in the Annual Plan 2011-12, and
o which do not have any binding commitment to provide
allocation under SCSP/TSP would also make efforts to provide
some allocation on a voluntary basis.

Modification in Budget Circular for 2011-12

33
 Due to vigorous persuasion by this Ministry, the Ministry of Finance
has modified it’s Budget Circular for 2011-12 to incorporate the following:

 All Ministries are required to prepare two statements in the Budget

2011-12, in order to highlight the quantum of public expenditure
earmarked for (a) SC and ST specific programme (100% provision)
[separately for SC and ST] and (b) pro-SC and ST allocation (at least
20% provision) [separately for SC and ST] in respect of the budget
provisions, administered by various Ministries/Departments. These
Statements would be titled Statement No. 21"Schemes for
Development of Scheduled Castes” and Statement No. 21-A
“Schemes for Development Scheduled Tribes” in Expenditure
Budget Vol.I.

Earlier there was a clubbed Statement for SCs and STs viz.
Statement 21, Expenditure Budget, Vol.I, titled “Schemes for the
Development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes”.

 From 2011-12 Budget, the Planning Commission will be making

separate allocations for the SC Sub-Plan as part of the Plan allocations
and the same will also be indicated clearly in the Memorandum of
Understanding signed between the Planning Commission and the
concerned Ministry/Department. The Ministries/Departments for
which such allocations are made by the Planning Commission as part
of the Plan Agreement in Budget 2011-12, must ensure that the
provisions are accurately reflected in the concerned Minor Head/s
relating to Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan in their Detailed Demands for
Grants by opening a minor head “Special Component Plan for
Scheduled Castes” (Code ‘789’) below the functional major/sub-
major heads whenever necessary, in terms of the instructions under
Para 3.8 of the General Directions to the List of Major and Minor
Heads of Accounts.”

2.13 Major Schemes for SC Development : Schemes of the Ministry of

Social Justice and Empowerment

In view of the disabilities suffered by the Scheduled Castes and

extreme social and economic disparities between Scheduled Castes and the
general population, Government is implementing many schemes for their
development, some of which are briefly mentioned below :

34
2.13.1 Schemes of Educational Development

2.13.1.1 Scheme of Pre Matric Scholarship to Children of those

Engaged in Unclean Occupations: The objective of the scheme is to
provide financial assistance to enable the children of manual scavengers,
tanners, flayers and sweepers who have traditional link with scavenging to
pursue pre matric education. Under the scheme financial assistance is
provided to children of the target group, irrespective of religion or income
level. Existing rates of scholarship are as follows:

Monthly Rates of Scholarship (in Rs.)

Scholarship Day Scholars Hostellers
I – II 110 p.m. -
III – X 110 p.m. 700 p.m.
Annual Ad-hoc
Grant 750 p.a. 1000 p.a.
(About 7 lakh children benefit under the Scheme annually)

2.13.1.2 Prior to revision of the scheme in April, 2008, the total

expenditure was co-shared on 50:50 basis between the Centre and the State
Governments (100% borne by Central Government in the case of UTs), over
and above the committed liability. The scheme was revised w.e.f 1.4.2008,
in which the rates of scholarships have been enhanced as given in the above
table and 100% Central assistance would be provided to the States over and
above the committed liability.

2.13.1.3 Post Matric Scholarship: This is the single largest

intervention by the Government of India for educational empowerment of
SCs. Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided to the SC students
for undertaking studies beyond matriculation in recognized institutions. The
assistance includes reimbursement of non-refundable fee, maintenance
allowance and other miscellaneous charges. The Scheme was revised in
December, 2010, w.e.f 1.7.2010 as per which in addition to the increased
rates of scholarship, the income ceiling of parents for their childeren availing
the scholarship, has been raised to Rs.2.00 Lakh per annum.

Apart from regular +2, undergraduate, postgraduate and M.Phil./Ph.D.

programmes, this Scheme also provides for liberal scholarships to SC
candidates undergoing the Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) Course. No. of
scholarship for CPL course has been increased from 20 to 50 in 2007-08.

35
2.13.1.4 Scheme of scholarship for "Top Class Education": This is a
new initiative started in 2007-08, under which meritorious SC students are
provided financial assistance for pursuing professional and specialized
courses in identified 205 institutions of excellence. The number of
scholarships per year is 1250 and the assistance provided includes
reimbursement of fee, maintenance allowance, provision of personal
computers and books and stationery allowance. The income ceiling for
availing the scholarship is Rs.2.00 Lakhs per annum.

2.13.1.5 National Overseas Scholarship: Under the scheme,

financial assistance is provided to meritorious SC students for pursuing
higher education abroad at the level of Masters and Ph.D. The number of
scholarships is 30 per year of which 30% are earmarked for females. The
income ceiling under the scheme is Rs.25,000/- per month.

2.13.1.6 Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship (RGNF): Under this

new scheme, introduced in 2005-06, assistance is provided to the SC
students for pursuing M.Phil and Ph.D courses. The scheme is implemented
through UGC and the benefits are comparable to JRF and SRF of UGC.
From the year 2010-11, no. of fellowships has been increased from 1333 to
2000.

2.13.1.7 Upgradation of Merit: Under the scheme, the Ministry

provides funds to the educational institutions for conducting remedial and
special coaching for SC students in Class IX to XII so that their merit is
upgraded.

2.13.1.8 Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatravas Yojana: Under this scheme

(which has been so re-christened in January, 2008), the Ministry provides
financial assistance to the extent of 100% for girls hostels and 50% for boys
hostels to States for construction of hostels for SC students. Central
assistance for Girls’ Hostels has been increased from 50% to 100% from
01.01.2008. The period of completion of construction of hostels has been
reduced to 2 years as against 5 years since 2007-08.

2.13.1.9 Coaching for SCs: Coaching is provided to SC students

through State Governments/Universities/NGOs/private bodies for
competitive examinations of Group A and Group B categories in the
Central/State Governments, Officers grade examinations for PSUs, Banks,
etc. and soft skill development programmes for employment in private sector
covering areas like call centers, BPO, retail management, information

36
technology, etc. Apart from coaching fee, stipend is also provided to the
students @ Rs.1,500/- per month for outstation students and Rs7,50/- per
month for local students. The income ceiling under the scheme is Rs.2.00
Lakhs per annum.

2.13.2 Schemes of Economic Development

2.13.2.1 Special Central Assistance to SCSP: Special Central Assistance

(SCA) to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP) is a central scheme under
which 100% grant is given to the States/UTs as an additive to their
Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP). The main objective is to give a thrust
to family oriented schemes of economic development of SCs below the
poverty line, by providing resources for filling the critical gaps. SCA is
released to States on the basis of size of SC population, relative
backwardness of States and other effort linked criterion.

2.13.2.2 Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual

Scavengers : was introduced in January 2007 with the objective of
rehabilitating remaining manual scavengers and their dependents by March,
2009. Under the Scheme, identified beneficiaries are provided loan, at
subsidized rate of interest (4-6% per annum), and credit linked capital
subsidy (@ 50% of the project cost, for projects upto Rs. 25,000, and @
25% for projects above Rs. 25,000, with a minimum of Rs. 12,500 and
maximum of Rs. 20,000) for setting up self employment projects costing up
to Rs. 5.00 lakh. It also has liberal provisions for training of beneficiaries in
marketable skills to enhance their employability. They are paid stipend of
Rs. 1000 per month during the period of training.
The SRMS originally envisaged rehabilitation of all manual
scavengers in alternative occupations by 31.3.2009. Subsequently this
deadline was extended up to 31.3. 2010. 18 States/UTs had reported
existence of Manual Scavengers to be covered at the beginning of this
Scheme. All these States/UTs have confirmed disbursement of loan for
alternative occupations to all eligible and willing, 78,941 beneficiaries by
31.3.2010.

Secretary (SJ&E) vide his D.O. letter dated 7.07.2010 requested 16

States/UT to get 100% internal and atleast 25% external Audit of SRMS
Beneficiaries in the States/UT. So far External Audit reports from 3 States
namely Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan have been received and our
being examined. Himachal Pradesh has sent its Internal Audit report. NCSK

37
also had conducted audit of the beneficiaries in 5 States/UT viz. Bihar,
Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi. The report have been
sent to the concerned State/UT for their comments/necessary action.
Responses from the State Governments are still awaited.
The National Advisory Council in its Resolution dated 23.10.2010,
followed by its recommendations in May, 2011 has inter alia observed the
following:

 that manual scavenging persists despite being outlawed.

 Urged Central Government to coordinate with all States, local bodies

and others (including Railways), to ensure that this practice is fully
abolished latest by the end of the 11th Plan period.

 A new law to be enacted to prohibit employment of manual

scavengers etc.

Following actions are being taken in the light of NAC’s resolution.:

1) Ministry of Social Justice & Employment is in the process of drafting

a new law on prohibition of Employment of manual scavengers and
their rehabilitation.

2) Process for undertaking a fresh survey of Manual Scavengers has

been initiated, and.

2.13.2.3 National Scheduled Castes Finance & Development

Corporation (NSFDC): The Corporation provides credit facilities to
beneficiaries living below double the poverty line for income generating
activities. In addition to assisting SCs in a wide range of income generating
activities, the Corporation also undertakes skill development training
programmes for the benefit of the educated unemployed SC youths. The
Corporation has introduced an Education Loan Scheme since December,
2009.

2.13.2.4 National Safai Karmacharis Finance and Development

Corporation(NSKFDC): It aims to promote social and economic
development of Safai Karmcharis by way of providing financial assistance at
concessional rates of interest for income generating activities. The
Channelising agencies for identification of beneficiaries and disbursement of
loans are the state Scheduled Caste Development Corporations. No income
ceiling is fixed under the scheme for availing financial assistance. Priority is,
however, accorded to scavengers, women and persons with disabilities.

38
2.13.2.5 State Scheduled Castes Development Corporations (SCDCs):
The Ministry of SJ&E provides equity support to SCDCs in the ratio of
49:51(49% by MSJE and 51% of the respective State Governments). The
SCDCs are playing an important role in providing credit and missing inputs
by way of subsidy and margin money loans to the target group of SC
population.

2.13.3 Other Schemes:

2.13.3.1 Centrally Sponsored Scheme for implementation of the

Protection of Civil Right Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the
Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 : The Protection of
Civil Right Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes
(Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 are implemented by the respective State
Governments and Union Territory Administrations. With a view to
financially assist them towards effective implementation of provisions of the
Acts, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme was introduced initially for
implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 in 1974-75. The
Scheme was later extended to cover the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled
Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 as well in 1990-91. Under the
Scheme, central assistance is provided mainly for: -
 Strengthening of the enforcement machinery
 Strengthening of the judicial machinery
 Awareness generation
 Incentive for inter-caste marriages
 Relief and rehabilitation of the affected persons.

A high-level Committee has been constituted in March, 2006, under

the Chairpersonship of the Minister for SJ&E, to regularly review and
monitor implementation of two Acts across the country. The Committee has
held 17 meetings till April 2011, in which it has reviewed implementation
of the Acts in 24 States and 4 UTs.

2.13.3.2 National Award for outstanding work in combating

untouchability and atrocities against SCs: This new scheme has been
introduced in December, 2006, under which four national awards are given
(one for each region) to individuals and NGOs for outstanding work in the
field of eradicating untouchability and combating atrocities against member
of the SCs. Amount of the award is Rs. 5 lakh in the case of NGOs and Rs.
2 lakh in the case of individuals.

39
2.13.3.3 Dr. Ambedkar Foundation: Dr Ambedkar Foundation is a
registered autonomous society under the Ministry of Social Justice &
Empowerment. It was established in 1992, and has built up a corpus of about
Rs.250 Crore.

Some of the major schemes and programmes being undertaken by the

Foundation are as follows:

 Dr. Ambedkar National Merit Scholarship to Meritorious

SC/ST students at Secondary level
 Dr. Ambedkar National Merit Scholarship Scheme for
Meritorious SC students at Higher Secondary level
 Dr. Ambedkar Medical Aid Scheme
 Dr. Ambedkar National Relief Scheme for Scheduled Caste
victims of Atrocities
 Dr. Ambedkar Samajik Samta Kendra Yojana
 Publication of the collected works of Baba Saheb Dr.
B.R.Ambedkar in Hindi and other Regional Languages
 Celebration of Birth Anniversary and Mahaparinirvan Diwas of
Dr. Ambedkar on 14th April and 6th December respectively,
every year

2.13.3.4 Babu Jagjivan Ram National Foundation: The Foundation has

been set up in March, 2008 as a registered autonomous society under the
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment to propagate the achievements,
ideology and philosophy of life and mission of Babu Jagjivan Ram through
various developmental activities for SCs and other weaker sections. The
approved corpus of the Foundation is Rs. 50.00 Crore.

The details of financial and physical achievements under the schemes

of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, during the XI plan are
at Annexures X and XI. The actual expenditure under the Schemes of
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment during first four years of
the XI Five Year Plan is shown in table below :

2.13.3.5 XI Plan: Proposed and Actual Outlays & Expenditure in the

first four years

XI Plan Outlay as per Plan document - Rs. 10,096.21 Cr.

40
Sl Year BE RE Expenditure Expenditur
No. e as % of
RE
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
1 2007-08 1521.5 1696.1 1716.15 101.17
9
2 2008-09 1815.5 1815.5 1806.87 99.52
0
3 2009-10 1979.9 1921.9 1932.60 100.55
5 5
4 2010-11 3327.0 3319.0 3327.30 100.24
0 1
5 2011-12 3856.0
0

2.14 Major Schemes for SC Development : Flagship Programmes of

other Ministries:

2.14.1 Bharat Nirman

Bharat Nirman aims to achieve the following tasks:-

Sl. Item Target

No (Initial/Revised)
1 Safe drinking water to every habitation By 2009, under the
Accelerated Rural
Water Supply
Programme (ARWSP)
(Since extended – to
2012, to cover all
uncovered
habitations.)
2 All-weather road to every habitation of By 2009, under the
over 1000 pop. (500 in hilly and tribal Pradhan Mantri
areas) Gram Sadak Yojana
(PMGSY) (Since
extended – to 2012)

3 Electricity to every village(also By 2009, under the

connecting 2.3 Crore households) Rajiv Gandhi Gramin
Vidyutikaran

41
 Yojana(RGGVY)
(since extended to
2012- to reach
electricity to all villages
and offer electricity
connections to 1.75
crore poor households)

4 Telephone Connectivity to every village By Nov., 2007 (since

extended to
Dec., 2008) (since
extended to achieve 40%
rural teledensity by
2014, ensure broadband
coverage to all 2.5 lakh
panchayats and set up un
Bharat Nirman Seva
Kendra at Panchayat
Level by 2012)

5 Rural Housing Construction of 60 lakhs

houses for the rural poor
by 2009 - under Indira
Awas Yojana (IAY)
(since extended to 2014
for 1.2 crore houses).
During 2010-11, out of
33.47 lakh houses
sanctioned, 12.4 lakh
houses (37.13%) were
sanctioned for SCs.
6 Irrigation Creation of 10 million
hectares of additional
irrigation capacity by
2012 (since extended to
bring additional one
crore hectares of land
under assured irrigation
by 2012.)

42
2.14.2 Many other major / flagship programmes of the Government
are also specially relevant for SCs. Some of these are:

 Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee

Scheme (MGNREGS), which aims to provide at least 100 days of
employment per year to one person from every family below poverty
line. During 2010-11, out of 25,715.23 lakh total persondays of
employment under the Scheme, 7,875.63 [30.63%] were availed by
SCs.

 Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Mid-Day Meal (MDM)

Schemes, which aim to universalize completion of eight years of
elementary education by all children and to improve their nutritional
status. The Scheme of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs),
under which residential Girls’ Schools – mainly for girls from SC, ST,
OBC and Minorities are established to promote education of girls of
disadvantaged group, is an important component of SSA. As on 15 th
July 2009, out of total number of 2511 operational KGBVs, 678 were
located in blocks having over 20% SC population. Out of 1,91,123
total girls enrolled in them, 52,345(27%) were SCs.

 Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), which aims to

provide a package of nutrition, health and education-related services
to children in the 0-6 years age-group, and to pregnant and lactating
mother.

2.15 Progress during XI Plan

Implementation Status of Interventions mentioned in XI Plan Document

with regard to the Scheduled Castes is as follows: -

Sl. Intervention mentioned Correspondin Implementation Status

No in the XI Plan g financial
. Dolcument, Vol.I outlay (at
current
prices) in XI
Plan
Document,
Vol.III
(Amounts. In

43
 Cr. Rs.)

Category I: Action completed

1 Among the SCs, children 200.00 Scheme has been revised
of scavengers are w.e.f. 1.4.2008 with
educationally the most 100% Central Assistance.
backward. The existing
Pre-Matric scholar-ship
for them needs to be
revised in its funding
pattern from 50:50 to
100% so that more target
families send their
children to schools.
2 In order to maximize 204.50 Scheme introduced w.e.f
their capabilities, SC 2007-08
students should have the
opportunity to study in
quality institutions.
Today, the high cost of
private education turns
them away. Thus, there is
need for extending
financial assistance so
that they can access top
class educational
institutions, including
those in the private
sector.

3 The Rajiv Gandhi 574.75 No. of fellowships,

National Fellowship for enhanced from 1333 to
SC students was 2000 from the year 2010-
introduced in 2005–06 to 11.
provide fellowship to
1333 SC students for
pursuing higher studies
leading to M.Phil. and
Ph.D. degrees. The
response under this
scheme has been very

44
 encouraging in the last
two years and this will
necessitate increasing the
number of fellowships.
4 SC students also need to 115.00 There is a flexibility in
be encouraged to prepare fixing the rates of fees
for various competitive payable to the coaching
examinations. Reputed institutions which is
institutions charge very determined by a
high fees for coaching Committee constituted
students for competitive under the Scheme.
examinations. The
existing scheme of
coaching for SCs does
not cover the fees
charged by such reputed
coaching institutes. There
is a need to modify the
scheme to ensure such
coverage
5 Over the last few years, 4082.00 The scheme of PMS
higher technical and provides for re-
professional education is imbursement of such fee.
increasingly being However, the quantum of
provided by private fees is to be determined
unaided institutions. In by the Committee to be
the absence of explicit set up by the State Govt.
government aid, they
charge high fees which
SC/ST students simply
cannot afford to pay.
Therefore, the
government may
reimburse the total fee
charged by such
institutions.
6 Based upon the effective 431.00( includi During XI Plan (first 4
performance of the ng NBCFDC years) Equity Support of
Finance and for National Rs.208 cr. and Rs. 120 cr.
Development Finance has been provided to
Corporations, the capital Development NSFDC and NSKFDC

45
 available at their disposal Corporations respectively.
may be increased for Weaker
substantially to provide Sections)
support to SC/ST
businesses.
7 The scheme of Post- Additional Liability on
Matric Scholarships for a/c of revision of PMS-
SCs provides SC post-poned to the XIII
scholarships to SC Plan, instead of the XII
students for pursuing Plan, as would normally
higher education in have been the case.
various courses beyond
matriculation. Under this
scheme, States are
required to bear the
committed liability over
and above the
expenditure incurred in
the last year of the Five
Year Plan which
becomes the committed
liability of the States in
the first year of the next
Plan. The issue of the
committed liability to be
borne by the states
always prevents the
States from coming
forward to access this
Central assistance.
Ultimately, it is the SC
students who are
deprived of higher
education. This needs to
be addressed.

Category II: Action in progress

1 The unemployment rate NSFDC provides loans at
of SCs in rural and urban concessional rates of
areas is about 5.5% as interest to SC persons
against 3.5% for others. whose family income is

46
 Special programmes of below double the poverty
employment are line. In addition Under
necessary to reduce this the scheme of SCA to
by increasing SCSP, there is a provision
employment among SCs. for giving subsidy upto
Rs.10,000 against self-
employment loans.

2 Towards ensuring Planning Commission has

effective and meaningful issued revised guidelines
implementation of SCSP for Central Ministries in
and TSP and December, 2010.
accomplishing SC and Guidelines for the State
ST-specific targets, Govt. are being reviewed
efforts will be made to
adopt the measures
mentioned in Box 6.3
during the Eleventh Five
Year Plan.
3 Among the SCs, persons 350.00 All the eligible and
engaged as manual willing Manual
scavengers need special Scavengers and their
attention to put an end to dependents, 78,941 in no.
the degraded practice of , have been given loan for
manual scavenging. In rehabilitation in
the Eighth Five Year alternative occupations
Plan, the National by 16 States/2UTs by
Scheme for Liberation of 30.06.2010, however,
Scavengers was launched action in progress in the
with the aim to train light of NAC’s resolution
manual scavengers and dated 23.10.2010.
rehabilitate them in
alternative occupations.
Despite commitments
made to the eradication
of the obnoxious and
dehumanizing practice of
handling night soil
manually, it still
continues. Only 19 States
and all UTs have adopted

47
 the Employment of
Manual Scavengers and
Construction of Dry
Latrines (Prohibition Act,
1993). Nine States are
yet to adopt the Act. A
new scheme, namely the,
Self Employment
Scheme for
Rehabilitation of Manual
Scavengers, has been
formulated to rehabilitate
the remaining 3.42 lakh
of 7.73 lakh scavengers
in a time-bound manner
by March 2009 through
training, and extension of
loans and subsidies. This
has to be done in a
missionary mode with
commitment and zeal.
4 The implementation of 10.00 Central Govt. has issued
the PCR Act, 1955 and various advisories to the
SC and ST (POA) Act, States/UTs from time to
1989 has to be enforced time to effectively
in letter and spirit to enforce the provisions of
bring about speedy this Act. This, inter-alia
justice to the aggrieved. includes the D.O. letter of
2009 written by the Prime
Minister to the Chief
Ministers of 18 States. A
Committee Chaired by
Minister of Social Justice
& Empowerment
reviewed the
implementation of the
Act in the States/UTs in
17 meetings held during
XI Plan period. Ministry
of Home Affairs, has,
vide its O.M. dated

48
 1.4.2010 has also issued
detailed advisory in this
regard.
5 However, the A Coordination
government alone cannot Committee was
accomplish the task of constituted in October,
providing job 2006, under the
opportunities to SCs. The Chairmanship of the
private corporate sector Principal Secretary to
will have to play a Prime Minister to carry
proactive role in forward and supplement
providing sufficient job the ongoing endeavours
opportunities to the to ensure a fruitful
especially marginalized national dialogue leading
and discriminated to a time-bound and
sections of Indian concrete action
society. The government programme. The Deptt. of
shall explore all Industrial Policy and
possibilities of Promotion (DIPP) is
introducing, in one form providing secretarial
or the other, affirmative support to the Committee.
action including 2. Subsequently, a Group
reservations, in the of Officers (GoO) was
private sector. constituted in September,
2008 under the
Chairmanship of
Secretary, IPP, which is
looking into the issue of
giving fiscal incentives to
industries for setting up
manufacturing units in
identified backward
districts with larger
SC/ST concentration.
3. However, the progress
in the matter is still quite
marginal and dialogue
with industry is
continuing.

Category III: Action under consideration

49
1 There is a need to Educational right is now
complement protective covered by the RTE Act.
legislations, that is, the Other aspects yet to be
Protection of Civil Rights examined
Act, 1955 and Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled
Tribes (Prevention of
Atrocities) Act, 1989
with a promotive
legislation which should
cover the rights of SCs
with respect to education,
vocational training,
higher education and
employment. Such
legislation may be
drafted along the lines of
the Persons with
Disabilities (Equal
Opportunities, Protection
of Rights and Full
Participation) Act, 1995
which clearly spells out
what is to be done, and
who should do it.

Category IV: Interventions not mentioned in XI Plan,

but completed/in progress
1 Integrated Development
of Villages with >50%
SC population /
“Pradhan Mantri Adarsh
Gram Yojana
0.00 Government of India
have approved a
Centrally-sponsored
pilot scheme called
Pradhan Mantri Adarsh
Gram Yojana, in March ,
2010 for integrated
development of 1000
SC-majority villages,
primary through:
i.Convergent
implementation of all

50

2 Introduction of Pre- 0.00
matric Scholarship
Scheme for SC Students
in class IX & X from
2011-12)
3 Establishment of Babu
Jagjivan Ram National
Foundation
relevant Central and
State Schemes, and
ii. to the extent needs of
the identified villages
cannot be met through
convergence, they are to
be met through ‘gap-
filling’ funds for which
Central assistance is to
be provided @ Rs.20.0
lakh per village with
State Governments
expected to contribute a
matching share.
In the light of Budget
annoucement of the
Finance Minister a
concept paper for
introducing the Scheme
of Pre-matric
Scholarship Scheme for
SC Students in class IX
& X has been forwarded
to the Planning
Commission for its ‘in
principle’ approval.
Set up in March, 2008
with a corpus of Rs. 50
cr. to propagate the
achievements, ideology
and philosophy of life
and mission of Babu
Jagjivan Ram through
various developmental
activities for SCs and
weaker sections.
51
 Chapter - III

3.1 Main Challenges to be addressed in the XII Plan.

Following are some of the main challenges which have to be

addressed in the XII Plan:-

(i) Members of SC community continue to suffer discrimination and

atrocities.

(ii) The goal of complete eradication of ‘untouchability’ is yet to be

realized.

(iii) Completion rate for students belonging to SCs for various stages of
education (i.e. elementary, secondary & tertiary) is significantly less
than for non SC/ST population.

(iv) SCs living in rural areas continue to be largely landless and

agricultural wage-laborers.

Ownership of other productive assets by SCs is also very low,

and incidence of poverty is disproportionately high, among them.

(v) Unsatisfactorily levels of nutrition, health, housing etc., which are

also significantly less than for non SC/ST population.

(vi) The delivery mechanism in regard to development programs for the

SCs is not functioning optimally.

(vii) Awareness among SCs about legislative protection and various

development programs available to them needs to be considerably
stepped up.

(viii) Manual scavenging is yet to be fully eliminated and, erstwhile manual

scavengers are yet to be fully rehabilitated.

(ix) Need for special attention, in terms of development programmes, to

certain other highly vulnerable SC communities like Musahars,
Devdasis, Joginis etc.

52
3.2 Goals for the XII Plan

In the light of the above, principal goals for the XII Plan, in regard to
empowerment of Scheduled Castes, may be stated as follows:

(i) To ensure the security and dignity of persons belonging to the

Scheduled Castes, and a complete end to all forms of “untouchability”
and discrimination against them, and

(ii) To bring members of the SCs at par, to the maximum possible extent,
with the non-SC/ST population, in terms of all developmental
parameters-nutritional, educational, health, housing, income levels,
etc.

53
3.3 Some Guiding Principles

The XII Plan Working Group on the ‘Empowerment of Scheduled

Castes’ has been guided, inter-alia, by the following:-

i) Constitutional mandate to promote, with special care, the

educational and economic interests of SCs, and to protect them from
social injustice and all forms of exploitation.

ii) The Prime Minister’s address to the NDC on 27.6.2005

pressing the need to bring about socio-economic parity for SCs within
ten years, using the SCSP strategy, as quoted in Para 2.12.1 of this
report.

iii) Address of the President to Parliament on 7.6.2004 regarding

launching a comprehensive national programme for minor irrigation
of lands owned by people belonging to SCs, as quoted in para 4.1.2.2
(vi) of this report.

3.4 Over – all Approach & Strategy for the XII Plan: Some Key
Elements

3.4.1 Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP) Strategy:

The Working Group recommends as follows : -

(i) While preparing the Five Year and Annual Plans, SC

population proportionate funds to be kept aside right at the
initial stage and to be allocated only for programmes
directly benefiting SCs – by Central and State Governments
as well as Panchayats and Municipalities, so as to bridge the
gap between SCs and the Non SC/ST/OBC communities.

(ii) SCSP allocations to be non-divertible and non-lapsable

(iii) An appropriate and strong mechanism to be put in place to

decide allocation of SCSP funds and monitoring of their
utilisation, at all levels – Central, State, District, etc.

54
3.4.2 Level of provisioning required under SCSP in the XII Plan of
Central Government

(i) As per informally available indications, the size of SCSP in the

Central XII Plan, @16.2% of total outlay, may be in the range of
Rs.4-4.25 lakh crore. However, looking to the accumulated
shortfall in SCSP allocation over successive Plan periods, the
Working Group strongly recommends an outlay of at least Rs.5
lakh crore under SCSP in the XII Plan.

(ii) In the XI Plan, the subject of SCs was dealt with in one Chapter
(Chap 6: “Social Justice”) of Vol.I, along with several other
disadvantaged groups, like STs, OBCs, DNTs, Minorities, PwDs,
Sr. Citizens and other vulnerable groups.

Looking to the importance of, and need for a comprehensive

approach for the development of SCs, the XII Plan document must
include a separate volume on SCSP, spelling out over-all, as well
as Ministry-wise goals, strategy, targets and Schemes, and
Scheme-wise Physical targets and financial outlay.

3.4.3 Consolidation of Schemes of the Ministry of Social Justice and

Empowerment

With a view to improving their administration/delivery, the following

eight existing and two newly-proposed Centrally-sponsored and Central
Sector Schemes of the Ministry may be consolidated into a composite
Centrally-sponsored Scheme called “National Programme for Empowerment
of Scheduled Castes” :-

I Existing Schemes:-

i) Post matric Scholarship for Scheduled Castes

ii) Pre-matric Scholarship for children of those engaged in
‘unclean’ occupations
iii) Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana
iv) Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan
(SCSP).
v) Upgradation of Merit of SC students.
vi) Support to State Scheduled Castes Development Corporations
(SCDCs)

55
 vii) Scheme of Implementation of Protection of Civil Rights Act
1955, and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention
of Atrocities) Act, 1989
viii) Assistance to Voluntary Organisations working for Welfare of
SCs.

II New Schemes:-

i) Pre-matric Scholarship Scheme for SCs

ii) Scheme for most vulnerable SC Communities.

3.4.4 Strengthening of the Legal framework:-

Relevant existing laws should be strengthened, and new laws, to the

extent necessary, should be enacted to ensure the security, dignity, equality,
non-discrimination and development vis-à-vis the SCs.

3.4.5 Priority Areas

The Working Group recommends the following priority areas for the
XII Plan : -

i) Educational Development
ii) Economic Development
iii) Awareness Generation & Social Empowerment
iv) Area Development (i.e., Development of Villages & Blocks
with SC concentration)
v) Strengthening of Statistics & Research relating to SCs
vi) Improved Delivery System for SC related programmes

3.4.6 SC Community to play an active role in its own development

The entire development paradigm vis-à-vis SCs from the XII Plan
onwards should be such that they do not just remain passive recipients of
government programmes but play an active role in shaping, implementing
and monitoring policies and programmes meant for them. This will have to
be done through education and socio-economic empowerment, awareness
generation, and giving them their due role in formulation, implementation
and monitoring of various interventions for them, at all levels.

56
3.5 Targets

Given the Goals, Strategy and Priority areas outlined above, the
Working Group recommends the following specific targets for being
achieved in the XII Plan : -

3.5.1 Educational Development

i) Post Matric Scholarship, at rates which are realistic and

adequately revised at least every two years, to be provided to all
eligible SC students (estimated no :-60 lakhs). The scholarship
to include a laptop or other suitable computing device to all SC
students passing X/XII board examination, with a score which
is higher than a suitably fixed benchmark.

ii) Introduction of a Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme for all SC

students (estimated no:-5 cr.) of Classes I-X.

iii) No. of Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowships for SCs (RGNF) to

be increased from the existing 2000 to 5000.

iv) “Top Class” Education scholarship to be given to all SC

students getting admission in premier institutions. As a result,
the number of new Scholarships given each year, to be
enhanced from the existing 1250 to about 3500.

v) No. of Scholarships under National Overseas Scholarship

(NOS) Scheme to be increased to 500, and to be given for all
disciplines except Indian languages and any such other
exceptions, which a suitable Committee may identify.

vi) 2 lakh additional hostel seats to be created for SC students, with

a minimum of 50% for SC girls.

vii) One Residential School (with Classes VI-XII) of good quality,

comparable to Kendriya/Navodaya Vidyalayas, to be
established for SC girls in 600 blocks, with high SC
concentration, to be allocated among States in proportion to
their SC Population, and to be identified in each State on the
basis of the twin criteria that (a) the Block should have more
than the State average of concentration of SC population, and

57
 (b) should have the lowest female SC literacy rate among such
Blocks.

viii) Coverage of the Central Sector Scheme of “Coaching for SCs”

to be expanded to cover 1 lakh students per annum.

ix) To increase SC female literacy rate from an estimated 60% in

2011 to at least 70%, by the end of the XII Plan.

x) One lakh SC students to be provided Employment linked

Education in collaboration with Industry in a Public – Private
Partnership mode (PPP).

3.5.2 Economic Development:

i) All surplus Govt. land to be allotted to landless SC, ST and other

priority groups. In addition, at least 1 million rural landless SC
families to be assisted to own agricultural land through private
purchase.

ii) Lands belonging to SC landholders to be irrigated and developed

to the maximum possible extent-through MNREGA, other existing
schemes, and a new Scheme covering at least 5 lakh SC
landholders, who cannot be covered under existing Scheme.

ii) Skill development and Upgradation of existing skills of at least 2.5

lakh SC youth.

iv) Financial assistance to be extended to 1 lakh SC youth for

acquiring land/built up space for setting up industries/service
undertakings/other self-employment ventures.

v) 50 lakh SC BPL families to be given assistance under SCA to

SCSP for income generating activities. Ceiling on amount of
subsidy under SCA to SCSP to be enhanced from the existing
Rs.10, 000 to 50,000, to be further revised upwards at suitable
intervals.

vi) All remaining manual scavengers to be rehabilitated in alternative

occupations.

58
 vi) 4 lakh SC Self Help Groups to be extended loan for self-
employment ventures.

viii) Establishment of a suitable national-level marketing agency, with

an authorized share capital of, say, Rs.500 crores, for
promotion/marketing of products of SC entrepreneurs/artisans.

ix) Five lakh eligible SC families and one lakh Safai Karamcharis to
be assisted in the XII Plan under the Schemes of National
Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC)
and National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development
Corporation (NSKFDC) respectively.

x) Establishment of a National Bank for Inclusive Development, with

an authorized share capital of Rs.2000 crores, to extend credit to
entrepreneurs belonging to SCs (and, possibly, other similar
disadvantaged sections), who cannot avail of loans from
NSFDC/NSKFDC, etc., (due to their being above the
Corporations’ stipulated income ceilings, problems relating to
SCA, etc) and for whom accessing institutional credit has also
been difficult.

xi) A “Credit Guarantee Trust”, with an authorized corpus of Rs.1000

crores and an initial corpus of Rs.200 crores, to be created to
provide guarantee for loans provided to SC entrepreneurs.

xii) A National SC Development Fund, with an initial corpus of Rs.

100 crores to be created for supporting SC talents in diverse areas,
for purposes not covered under existing Schemes.

xiii) At-least one million landless rural SC families to be provided land

on priority basis through purchase of land.

3.5.3 Awareness generation: -

i) A dedicated “Social Justice Channel” of Doordarshan

to be launched.

ii) Support to about 600 SC students and youth (@ one

per District) to run community radio stations and FM channels.

59
 iii) 100 websites on SC related issues and programmes
(having a link to National/State SC portals) to be opened in 100
Districts to be manned by SC web managers.

3.5.4 Area Development (i.e., Development of Villages & Blocks with

SC Concentration)

i) Integrated development of the 44,000 Villages with

> 50% SC population under PMAGY, with provision of Central
assistance towards “gap filling” @ Rs. 50 lakh per village on an
average.

ii) Integrated Development of the 600 Blocks with high SC

concentration, mentioned in sub para (vii) of para 3.5.1 above,
with provision of Central assistance towards “gap-filling” @
Rs.10 crore per Block.

3.5.5 Statistics, Research and Miscellaneous

i) To strengthen the SC-related component in all statistical

surveys etc. (like general census, Agricultural Census, BPL
Census, National Family Health Survey, National Sample
Surveys etc.) and to strengthen statistical units in key Central
Ministries, State Governments and at the District level, to
analyze and interpret SC-related statistics for better policy and
program formulating and monitoring.

ii) To specially assist five premier research institutions (like

Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar (Central) University, Lucknow,
and Babasaheb Ambedkar National Institute of Social Sciences,
Mhow) to strengthen their infrastructure and for conducting
research on SC related issues. Also, assist other premier
institutions in various parts of the country for conducting SC
related research.

iii) Common Services Centres to be established in 4000 SC

majority villages/Panchayats to provide access to internet and
e-service to their inhabitants.

60
 Chapter – IV

4.1 Sector-wise Recommendations pertaining to Schemes

I. Exiting Schemes of the Ministry of Social Justice and

Empowerment proposed for continuation:

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is

implementing various Schemes for the development of SCs. The
working group recommends continuation of all the following
Schemes:-

 Schemes of Educational development

 Pre-matric scholarship for children of those engaged in
'unclean' occupations
 Post matric scholarship for Scheduled Castes
 Scholarship for "Top Class Education"
 National Overseas Scholarship
 Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship
 Upgradation of Merit
 Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana
 Free Coaching for SC and OBC students

 Schemes of Economic Development

 Special Central Assistance to SCSP
 Self-employment scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual
Scavengers
 National Scheduled Caste Finance & Development
Corporation (NSFDC)
 National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development
Corporation (NSKFDC)
 State Scheduled Castes Development Corporations
(SCDCs)

 Other Schemes
 Scheme for Implementation of Protection of Civil Rights
Act 1955, and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
(Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
 Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY)

61
  Assistance to Voluntary organisations working for
Welfare of SCs
 Dr. Ambedkar Foundation
 Babu Jagjivan Ram National Foundation
 Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Centre for Social Justice

II. Modification in existing Schemes and new proposed Schemes:

4.1.1 Educational Empowerment : Recommendations

Continuous endeavours would be required to maximize the

participation of SC students at all levels of education (primary,
secondary and tertiary) through enabling their access to quality
education, retention and increasing the level of attainments. Following
recommendations are made:

4.1.1.1 Existing Schemes for educational development of SCs

should be strengthened as follows:

i) Number of Scholarship/Fellowships under the existing

Scholarship/Fellowships Schemes should be increased as
follows: -

 Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for SCs

It was introduced, as a Central sector Scheme, in 2005-

06. Upto the year 2009-10, there was a provision to award
1333 new fellowships per year. This number has been
increased to 2000 from the year 2010-11. A requirement to
further increase the number of these fellowships has been
projected from various corners including the University Grants
Commission, which is implementing the Scheme.

The Working Group recommends that the number of

new fellowships should be increased from existing 2,000 to
5,000 per year.

 Top Class Education for SCs

The Scheme was introduced in 2007-08 to provide

scholarships to meritorious students, studying in the premier

62
 institutions of the country like IITs, IIMs, IIITs etc. Initially
121 institutions were notified under the Scheme, which have
since increased to 205. However, the maximum number of
fresh scholarships, per year, remains the same as 1250 only.
The number of existing scholarships has been considered as
inadequate, as compared to the intake of the SC students in
premier institutions specified under the scheme.

The Working Group recommends that scholarships

under the Scheme should be given to all SC students
studying in premier educational institutions. Accordingly,
the number of new Scholarships to be awarded normally
should be increased from existing 1250 to 3500 per year.

 Upgradation of Merit of SC students

Presently, 1045 fresh awards, per year, are given to the

students studying in classes IX to XII to upgrade their merit.
Given the fact that presently about 70 lakh SC students are
enrolled in these classes, this number was considered to be
highly inadequate.

The Working Group recommends that the allocation

of new awards per year under the Scheme should be
increased from existing 1045 to 25000.

 National Overseas Scholarship (NOS)

30 National Overseas Scholarships are awarded to

meritorious SC students etc. for pursuing Masters and Ph.D
studies abroad. The number of field of studies for which the
scholarship is payable has been increased to five during 2011-
12 vis-a-vis only two disciplines earlier.

These disciplines are i) Pure Science ii) Technology iii)

Medicine iv) Agricultural Sciences v) Management. A strong
requirement has been projected to increase the number of
disciplines and no. of Scholarships every year.

63
 The Working Group recommends that:-

i) The no. of scholarships under the Scheme

should be increased, initially, from existing 30
to 500 per year.

ii) There should be no restriction with regard to

the field of study for which this scholarship
would be available, except Indian Languages
and any other such exceptions, which a suitable
committee may identify.

ii) Coaching Scheme for SC students.

The Scheme, presently, covers only limited no. of

examinations/courses for the purpose of coaching. On an
average, during XI Plan, financial assistance could be provided
to cover only 5,000 SC students per annum. The actual
expenditure under the Scheme during first four years of the XI
Five Year Plan was only Rs. 20.04 crore and the no. of
beneficiaries was a meager 14.5 thousand. A necessity has
been felt to expand the coverage of examinations/courses and
cover larger no. of students per annum.

The Working Group recommends that:-

 1, 00,000 SC students should be covered, during

each year of XII Plan, under the Scheme.

 Free coaching to the SC students should be

expanded to cover the premier entrance exams
to professional institutions, like IIT-JEE,
AIEEE, CPMT, CLAT, CAT, etc.

 The Scheme should be comprehensively revised

to make it more practical and beneficial to SC
Students. For example, fee payable to coaching
institutes should be paid by the Government
directly. Also Cash incentive may be
considered for SC students, successfully

64
 crossing each stage of the competitive
examination e.g. clearing preliminary
examination and main examination, to enable
them to prepare for next level of examination.
An Cash incentive may also be provided to the
finally selected candidates.

 Upgradation of Soft/Communication skills for

SC students is a major challenge, and should be
suitably addressed.

iii) Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhattrawas Yojana (BJRCY)

The Scheme, inter-alia, provides 100% and 50% financial

assistance for the construction of SC girls hostels and SC boys hostels
respectively, to the State Govts./UT administrations. Since majority
of SC population lives in rural areas, this facility gives an enabling
environment to the SC students for pursuing their studies.

The Working Group recommends that:-

 During XII Plan additional hostel capacity of 2 lakh

seats should be created for SC students, with a
minimum of 50% for SC girls.

 Condition of most of the existing hostels is deplorable,

making them not suitable for stay of the students.
State Govts. must upgrade them to a satisfactory level
using Finance Commission funds and other resources.

 Central assistance to States/UTs for construction of

boys hostels should be increased from existing 50%
(of the construction cost) to 100%.

4.1.1.2 New Schemes recommended for being taken up: -

i) To initiate a new Pre-matric Scholarship Scheme for SC

students studying in class IX-X.

Presently all the Scholarship Schemes being

implemented by the Government for the SCs, except the

65
Scheme of ‘Pre-matric Scholarship for those engaged in
‘unclean’ occupations’, target students pursuing post-matric
education. Consequently, the vast majority of SC students
(above 4 crore) pursuing Pre-matric education are not
benefitted. This has been a major gap in the Government’s
intervention in educational development of SCs, especially
since Pre-matric Scholarship Schemes are being implemented
for OBCs and Minorities. Introduction of Pre-matric
Scholarship Scheme is fully justified on following accounts:-

a. Though the gap between SC and Overall population in

terms of literacy has narrowed down, over past five
decades, there still exists a gap of more than 10
percentage points;

b. High drop out rate of over 60% for SC Students and

nearly 67% for SC girls at the Pre-matric stage (i.e. Class
I-X).

c. Parliamentary Standing Committee for the Ministry of

Social Justice and Empowerment has advocated the need
for a Pre-matric Scholarship Scheme for SCs in its report
on the Ministry’s Demand for Grants for 2007-08 as well
as 2008-09.

d. Finance Minister in his budget announcement for 2011-

12, has already declared such a Scheme, inter-alia, for
needy SC students studying in Class IX & X.

In the light of the above, the Working Group

recommends that a Scheme of Pre-matric Scholarship for
SC students studying in Class I-X may be introduced in the
XII Plan as per details given below:-

It is proposed to cover students of Classes IX-X in the

first year of the XII Plan, and to extend coverage to Classes I-
VIII from the second year onwards

Financial Implications would be as follows : -

Class Unit Cost for the No. of Estimated
XII Plan period Students financial

66
 requirement
(in Rs.)
(in crore) (Rs. in crore)
IX-X 25000/- (for 5 0.55 13,750
years)

VII- 20,000/- (for 4 1.25

VIII years) 25,000

I-V 10,000/- (for 4 3.2

years) 32,000

Total 70,750

ii) Setting up of good quality Residential Schools for SC

students, studying in class VI to XII.

Access to good schools/residential schools still remains

much below the actual requirement for the SC students.
Various steps have been taken to universalize the elementary
education, and increase the numbers of Navodaya Vidyalayas
and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, along with stipulated
reservation for SCs therein. However, the problem of access
continues.

The Working Group, therefore, recommends that:-

 Good quality Residential schools for SC girls

should be set up in at least 600 blocks with high
SC concentration, to be allocated among States
in proportion to their SC population and to be
identified for each State on the basis of the twin
criteria that: a) the block should have more
than the State average of concentration of SC
population, and b) should have the lowest SC
female literacy among such blocks. 75% of the
seats, in the Residential Schools, should be for
SC students and the remaining 25%, for ST, BC
& other students belonging to economically
weaker sections of society, so as to achieve SC
focus together with social integration. The no.

67
 of such Schools may be expanded in phases, so
as to achieve that all meritorious SC girls and
boys have access to such residential schools, as
early as possible.

 Administration of the proposed Residential

schools should be on the lines of Kendriya
Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS)/Navodaya
Vidyalaya Sangathan.

 Number of Navodaya Vidyalayas should be

doubled in the XII Plan so that seats available
in them for providing good residential
education to SC children are also doubled.
Preference should be given to districts with over
20% SC population, while setting up new
Navodaya Vidyalayas.

iii) Scheme for employment linked education

Drop out rate among SC students is very high, due to

various reasons which, inter-alia, include their adverse socio-
economic condition, and lack of access to the educational
institutions etc. Yashwant Rao Chavan Maharashtra Open
University, Nasik in collaboration with LUPIN Ltd. has
successfully implemented a project in the Public-Private
Partnership (PPP) mode, in which students earn as an
apprentice, in the selected industry, while pursuing courses
through the Open University.

Working Group recommends that a Scheme for

employment linked education for SCs in collaboration with
Industry and Open University, NCVT etc. may be initiated
in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Mode. The Scheme
may cover at least 1 lakh SC students, during the XII Five
Year Plan.

4.1.2 Economic Empowerment

68
4.1.2.1. Existing schemes for the economic development of SCs should
be strengthened as follows:

i). Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan

(SCA to SCSP).

Under the Scheme, the BPL SC families are, inter-alia,

provided subsidy to carry out economic activities, so that they
may cross the poverty line. The existing rate of maximum
admissible subsidy @ Rs.10, 000 per beneficiaries was fixed in
1998, and is not considered sufficient for enabling the
beneficiaries to start any worthwhile activity.

The Working Group recommends that, subsidy under

the Scheme should be enhanced to Rs. 50,000 per family,
and should be regularly revised in future. At least 50 lakh
families should be assisted under the Scheme during XII
Plan period.

ii). National Scheduled Castes finance and Development

Corporation (NSFDC).

NSFDC was set up by Govt. of India in February, 1989

as a Govt. company under Section 25 of the Companies Act
1956, with an authorised Share Capital of Rs. 1000 cr. Its
objective is to finance income generating Schemes for
economic development of SC persons living below double the
Poverty Line. During first four years of the XI Five Year Plan
the Corporation has been able to assist about 1.88 lakh SC
beneficiaries. The Corporation is facing major problems from
its State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs), majority of which are
not performing well.

The Working Group recommends as follows:-

a). Authorised equity share of this Corporation

should be enhanced from existing Rs.1,000 crore to
Rs.2,000 crore. It should assist at least five lakh
beneficiaries under its various Schemes during XII
Plan. A major focus should be on organizing skill
development programmes.

69
 b). The Corporation is facing major problems in
channelizing its funds through the State Channelizing
agencies (SCAs), since their recovery rate is very low
and respective State Governments are not giving the
block guarantee required for advancing the loan.
Corporation, therefore, would have to consider
alternative agencies to channelize credit to SCs so as
to meets its targets in all the States equitably.

iii) National Safai Karamcharis finance and Development

Corporation (NSKFDC).

NSKFDC was set up by Government of India on 24 th

January, 1997, as a Govt. company under Section 25 of the
Companies Act 1956, with an authorised Share Capital of
Rs.200 cr., which was enhanced subsequently to Rs. 300 cr. in
the year 2009. It objective is to finance the income generating
activities of Safai Karamcharis, through various Schemes.

A proposal to enhance authorised equity share of this

Corporation from existing Rs.300 crore to Rs.600 crore is under
consideration of the government.

The Working Group recommends as follows:-

a). NSKFDC should assist at least one lakh

beneficiaries under its various Schemes during XII
Five Year Plan. A major focus should be on
organizing skill development programmes.

b). The Corporation is facing major problems in

channelizing its funds through the State Channelizing
agencies (SCAs), since their recovery rate is very low
and respective State governments are not giving block
guarantee. Corporation, therefore, would have to
consider alternative agencies to channelize its funds so
as to meet its targets in all the States equitably.

70
 iv) Equity support to Scheduled Castes Development
Corporations (SCDCs)

In order to implement economic development

programmes for Schedules Castes living below Double the
poverty line and specially to mobilize institutional credit and
credit at concessional rate, the Government of India decided in
1978-79 to participate in the share capital of Scheduled Castes
Development Corporations (SCDCs) in the States/UTs with
significant SC population. The Centrally Sponsored Scheme
for participating in the share equity of the Scheduled Castes
Development Corporation (SCDCs) in ratio of 49:51 was
introduced in 1979. At present, SCDCs are functioning in 27
States/UTs.

The Working Group recommends as follows:-

a) The State Channelizing agencies shall be

continued given equity support during XII Five Year
Plan also.

b) Conscious efforts should be made to strengthen

the functioning of the SCDCs.

4.1.2.2 New Schemes recommended for being taken up

i) Assistance to Rural Landless SC families for purchase of

private land

Bulk of the SCs are landless agricultural labourers. According

to NSS (2004), percentage of landlessness among SCs living in rural
areas was 78 percent as against 57 percent for non-SC. Thus,
landlessness amongst Scheduled Castes is much higher than for the
non-SC. Land for every rural SC family is essential for their
economic development.

Lands to the rural SC landless families could be provided in one

of the following two ways:

a) Distribution of all remaining surplus government land, as

far as possible.

71
 b) Purchase of land from private owners.

The Working Group recommends as follows:-

a) Efforts to distribute surplus government land to the

landless SC rural families should be intensified, and
completed in a time bound manner, so as to cover maximum
possible number of landless SC families.

b) In addition, at least one million landless rural SC

families should be provided land on priority basis, through
purchase of private land, in the XII Plan.

ii) Assistance to SHGs of SC beneficiaries (with a view to their

Financial Inclusion & provision of Micro-Credit)

SCs have been facing substantial financial exclusion by

the existing financial system (Scheduled Banks, including
Regional Rural Banks, Primary Credit Cooperatives and Micro
Finance Institutions). The existing schemes viz Priority Sector
Lending (PSL) and Differential Rate of Interest (DRI) which
have been in operation with the objective of providing easy
credit to vulnerable sections have failed to adequately cover
SCs. One of the major stumbling blocks under PSL is the
insistence of collateral security for the loans. As a result,
access to credit under PSL for SCs has been very limited. This
continues to expose SCs to high-cost, non-institutionalized
credit and the attendant problem of serious indebtedness.

The Working Group recommends to create corpus of

Rs.1000 crores to meet credit needs of the SC Organisations
like Self-help Groups (SHGs) to meet their credit
requirements for income generating activities. It includes
initial support for formulation of SHGs and extending
micro credit to them.

iii) National Fund for Innovative Development Activities for

Scheduled Castes.

72
 Both Central and State Governments implement various
Schemes for the social and economic well being of SCs.
However, there is a need for creating a National Fund to finance
various innovative activities for their development which do not
fall under any of the existing Schemes of the Govt. For
instance, the Fund could be utilized to extend financial
assistance for development and training of talented SC artists,
writers etc.

The Working Groups recommends that a National

Fund for Innovative Development Activities for SCs may be
created for supporting SC talent in diverse areas, for
purposes not covered under existing Schemes. A one time
corpus fund of Rs.100 crore may be provided for this
purpose. The Scheme may be implemented through
National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development
Corporation (NSFDC).

iv) Establishment of Social Sector Credit Guarantee Trust for

Micro Credit Beneficiaries

 SC beneficiaries always face the problem of arranging

Guarantors before availing loans from any financial
institution. Over the years, the SCAs have been covering
more and more beneficiaries under the Micro Credit
Schemes of National Corporations. These micro credit
loans are meant for poorest of the poor SC beneficiaries
who are not in a position to arrange guarantors.

 In order to enable these beneficiaries to avail loans

without guarantors, a Credit Guarantee Trust may be
created for Micro Credit Beneficiaries on the lines of
Ministry of Micro Small & Medium Enterprises Credit
Guarantee Fund Scheme for Micro & Small Enterprises
where the Member Lending Institutions (MLI) claim
defaulted amounts from the Guarantee Trust corpus. The
MLIs pay a one time guarantee fee and annual service fee
at specified rates(1% guarantee fee in case of credit
facility upto Rs.5 lakh and 1.5% in case of credit facility
above Rs.5 lakh and annual service fee ranging from

73
 0.25% to 0.50%) to be eligible to claim defaulted
amount.

 The Working Group recommends that a Credit

Guarantee Trust may be started with a contribution
of Rs.200 crore from the Government, and member
SCAs could contribute 2% of loan component to the
Trust, if the beneficiary fails to repay the loan
amount, the defaulted amount could be claimed by
the SCA from the Trust.

v) National level marketing organization for

promotion/marketing of products of SCs

SC artisans and entrepreneurs face a substantial problem

in marketing their products. In the past, certain initiatives have
been taken by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
and National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development
Corporation to enable them to showcase and market their
products by facilitating their participation in various fairs and
exhibitions etc. However, the ambit of such initiatives has been
rather limited. There is, thus, necessity to create strong
institutional mechanism to facilitate the SC
entrepreneurs/Artisans in marketing their products on
continuous basis.

The Working Group recommends that, a National

level Organization may be set up as a permanent marketing
institution, on the lines of TRIFED, for marketing of
products manufactured by Scheduled Caste
entrepreneurs/artisans, with an initial equity support of Rs.
500 cr. in the XII Plan.

vi) Irrigation and Development of lands of SC landholders

In his first address to Parliament after the Lok Sabha

Election of 2004, the President had, on 7th June 2004, stated as
follows:

“The Government will launch a comprehensive

national programme for minor irrigation of lands owned by

74
 people belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes. Landless families will be endowed with land through
implementation of land ceiling and redistribution
legislation…………..”

In the past, Schemes have been launched to provide

irrigation facilities in the irrigable, yet unirrigated lands of SC
landholders. However, provision of irrigation facilities still
remains a major problem. An initiative should be launched,
with full financial provision and organizational arrangements at
Central Government, State Government and local levels, to
provide irrigation facilities for all irrigable & non- irrigable
lands held by SCs, through wells, community wells, bore-wells
and community bore-wells, tube-wells and community tube-
wells, bandheras, check dams, lift irrigation and other such
minor irrigation sources.

The Working Group recommends that, a Scheme for

providing an assured source of irrigation such as Borewell,
Infiltration Well, Tube Well or water from a nearby canal
for cultivation the land of SCs may be started, with an
outlay of Rs.5000 crore during XII Five Year Plan.

vii) Skill Upgradation of SC Youth

Various Schemes have been started for Skill upgradation

of youth by Ministry of Labour and Ministry of MSME. Under
Skill Development mission a target to impart a skill upgradation
training to 5 million youth has been fixed. However, SC youth
living in rural and semi-urban areas, far away from the
infrastructural facilities of the metros/urban centres are not able
to avail these facilities. It is, therefore, necessary to provide
special facilities and assistance to SC youth, from far-flung
areas in meeting training fees, boarding & lodging expenses at
the training institutions or a nearby hostel and ancillary costs
such as books & stationery, travel and field visits, if any. The
trainees should be provided grants for meeting all these
expenses in addition to a separate stipend component that may
be paid to take care of incidental expenses.

75
 Entrepreneurial capacities should be imparted to the
educated SC unemployed youth in following emerging areas
having good scope for employment or self-employment in
potential sectors:-

a) Agriculture and Allied Sector

b) Industries Sector
c) Service and Allied Sector, e.g., IT Industry,
Construction Industry, Medical Technology,
Beauty Industry, Soft Toy Industry, Real Estate
Industry, Hotel Industry, Aviation Industry,
Automobile Industry, Security Services, and
Housekeeping Services etc.

The Working Group recommends that, at least 2.5

lakh SC youth should be imparted skill upgradation
training to increase their employability. A new Scheme
should be formulated for this purpose, during XII Five
Year Plan.

viii) Financial assistance to SC entrepreneurs for acquiring

land/built up space for setting up industries/service
undertaking etc.

Minimum essential infrastructural facilities are required,

in order to start a business or small scale industry. In the
absence of such facilities like piece of land, sheds in industrial
areas, shops, kiosks etc, even the SC youth trained in various
trades cannot start their own business/enterprise.

The Working Group, therefore, makes the following

recommendations:

a) 1 lakh SC entrepreneurs are proposed to be

provided financial assistance to acquire
land/built-up space etc.

b) In addition to above, following facilities to SC

entrepreneurs should be provided :
 Earmarking of exclusive sheds in
Industrial areas.

76
  Constructing of Common Facility Centres
to provide all required inputs at
subsidized costs on the pattern of Cluster
Development Scheme of the Development
Commissioner of Handicrafts,
Government of India.

 Construction of Flatted factories and

allotment on no profit no loss basis.

ix) National Bank for Inclusive Development

Presently, the credit facilities to the SCs are available

through the Schemes of Public Sector Banks which are
mandated to ensure adequate flow of funds to them under their
Schemes of private sector lending and differential rate of
interest (DRI). However, actual flow of credit to SCs under
these Schemes is not commensurate with their population and
requirement. The NSFDC is providing loans only to the SCs
who are living below double the poverty line. A large number
of entrepreneurs among SCs remain out of the purview of this
Scheme as well.

The Working Group recommends, establishment of a

National Bank for Inclusive Development, with an
authorized share capital of Rs.2000 crores, to extend credit
to entrepreneurs belonging to State Govt. (and, possibly,
other similar disadvantaged section), who cannot avail of
loans from NSFDC/NSKFDC, etc., (due to their being above
the Corporations’ stipulated income ceilings, problems
relating to SCA, etc) and whom accessing institutional
credit has also been difficult.

4.1.3 Social Empowerment & Other Schemes

77
4.1.3.1 Existing Schemes proposed for continuance with or without
modifications

i) Development of SC concentration areas

Most of the Schemes/Programmes for SCs have centered

on individual beneficiaries. This strategy largely hinges around
the fact that the SC population is relatively scattered – in
contrast to the Scheduled Tribes, who generally live in
contiguous, identifiable pockets. While SC population is not
as geographical concentrated as the ST, they also do have
pockets of concentration which needs special attention in terms
of integrated development. Accordingly, a Centrally-
sponsored pilot Scheme “Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana
(PMAGY)” was launched in the year 2010. This Scheme aims
at integrated development of 1000 SC majority villages in five
States namely, Assam (100), Bihar, Himachal Pradesh,
Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu (225 villages each). Integrated
development of these villages is proposed to be achieved:-

i) Primarily through convergent implementation of

the existing Central and State Schemes, and

ii) Gap-filling component @ Rs.20 lakh per village

on an average basis, to meet those requirements, which cannot
be met through the above Schemes.

It is considered appropriate to expand this scheme to all

44000 SC-majority villages in the country and also cover 600
selected blocks with high SC concentration for integrated
development, under a similar Scheme during XII Five Year
Plan.

The Working Group recommends as follows :-

a) Integrated Development of all 44,000 Villages

with > 50% SC population under PMAGY, with
provision of Central assistance towards “gap
filling” @ Rs. 50 lakh per village on an average.

78
 b) Integrated Development of the 600 Blocks with
high SC concentration, selected for
establishment of Girls Residential Schools [see
para 4.1.1.2 (ii)], with provision of Central
assistance towards “gap-filling” @ Rs.10 crore
per block over the XII Plan period.

ii) Development of most vulnerable SC communities.

Pursuant to Article 341 of the Constitution, six

Constitutional Orders have been issued (amended from time to
time) specifying 1208 “Scheduled Castes” in 26 States and 5
UTs. Criteria followed for inclusion of a community in the list
of SCs is extreme social, educational and economic
backwardness arising out of the traditional practice of
untouchability. However, some of the SCs communities have
badly lagged behind others in the development process e.g.
scavenger community, Musahars, Devdasis, etc. Special
measures, therefore, need to be taken for such communities.
For instance, total liberation and full rehabilitation of Manual
Scavengers should be completed in a time-bound manner.
Similarly, the work of sewage labourers including septic tank
cleaners, and other sanitation labourers should be modernized
by the application of modern technology to exclude hazard and
squalor from their work. Other such castes should also be
identified on the basis of objective criteria.

The Working Group recommends that, a suitable

Special Scheme for the development of most vulnerable
communities and groups amongst SCs like Musharas,
Devdasis and Joginis etc, should be launched.

4.1.3.2 New Schemes recommended for being taken up

i) a. Strengthening of Statistics relating to SC:

Any worthwhile planning for SCs presupposes collection,

collation, careful analysis and compilation of Statistics
pertaining to them and other social categories. During
Census/any exercise of data collection, at the Centre, State, and
Distt. level, disaggregated data on SCs, and SC women, must

79
 be collected. A separate SC cell, for this purpose, may be
created in the existing data collection agencies, at various levels
as mentioned above.

b. Research

An institutional arrangement may be worked out for

conducting research in the area of SC development. For this
purpose, available Institutions/Universities of eminence should
be supported by providing them infrastructural support to
strengthen their existing facilities and financial support to
conduct research in SC related areas, so that they may provide
complete, comprehensive, precise and meaningful data and
information for understanding of the situation and clearer
formulation of remedial measures. Existing autonomous
bodies under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
i.e., Dr. Ambedkar Foundation (DAF) and Babu Jagjivan Ram
National Foundation (BJRNF) should be appropriately
strengthened for this purpose.

The Working Group recommends:-

a) To specially assist five premier research

institutions (like Babasaheb Bhimrao
Ambedkar (Central) University, Lucknow, and
Babasaheb Ambedkar National Institute of
Social Sciences, Mhow) to strengthen their
infrastructure and for conducting research on
SC related issues. Also, assist other premier
institutions in various parts of the country for
conducting SC related research.

b) Common Services Centres to be established in

4000 SC majority villages/Panchayats to
provide access to internet and e-service to their
inhabitants.

ii) Awareness and Publicity:

80
 There is a lack of awareness among the SCs about
various development programs/Schemes being
implemented for them and the procedure for availing the
facilities provided to them. It is, thus, imperative that
programmes should be strengthened for mass coverage
and greater awareness among SC population. This can
be done through active use of information and
communication technology (ICT).

The Working Group recommends that:-

a) A dedicated “Social Justice Channel” of

Doordarshan should be launched.

b) Support to about 600 SC students and youth (@

one per District) to run community radio
stations and FM channels.

c) 100 websites on SC related issues and

programmes (having a link to National/State SC
portals) to be opened in 100 Districts to be
manned by SC web managers.

d) 4,000 Common Service Centers are proposed to

be set up, on priority, in the SC majority
villages / gram panchayats. These centers would
be manned by the SCs.

e) A national portal for SCs should be launched

which should contain all conceivable
information relevant for the development of SC
students, SC girls and SC population in general.
It will be an interactive portal for the above
target groups and will focus on on-line services.
It will become a single window facility for
accessing all important information for the
development of any member, especially students
and youth, belonging to SCs.

81
 4.1.4 Summary of Recommendations, Physical Targets & Estimated Financial Requirements.

Unit of Total XII Plan

Sl. Average unit cost
Schemes physical Remarks
No over the XII Plan Phy. Fin. Outlay
target
Target (Rs in Cr.)
             
I. Ongoing Schemes (Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment)
On an average, 60 lakh students are expected to be
covered each year. Presently, average rate of
scholarships is around Rs.8000 p.a. (after recent
revision). It is proposed to be increased to Rs.20000.
Post Matric Scholarship
Rs.1,00,000 (@ Students per After deducting committed liability of the states
1 for Scheduled Caste 60 lakh 50,000.00
Rs20,000/-p.a.) annum @Rs.2000 crore per annum (approx), an estimated
Students
amount of Rs.50,000 crore would be required.

The average size of the target group during XI Plan

has been around 7 lakh each year. Government has
Pre-matric Scholarships taken steps to rehabilitate all the manual scavengers,
for children of those Rs.30,000 ( @ therefore, the number of target group for which this
2 -do- 8 lakh 2,400.00
engaged in "unclean" Rs.6,000 p.a.) Scheme is primarily meant for, may not increase
occupations during XII Plan.

National Overseas No. of fresh Scholarships each year is proposed to

3 Rs.25,00,000 -do- 500 625.00 be enhanced to 500 from existing 30.
Scholarship for SCs
Revised rates of UGC fellowships, have been taken
Rajiv Gandhi National into account. No. of fresh Fellowships each year, is
4 Rs.11,50,000 -do- 5,000 2,800.00 proposed to be enhanced to 5,000 from existing
Fellowship for SCs
2,000.

82
 No. of fresh Scholarships, each year, is proposed to
be enhanced to 3500 from existing 1250. This
Top Class Education
5 Rs.3,75,000 -do- 3,500 650.00 number can be further increased depending upon the
Scholarship for SCs
demand.

Per unit cost includes the tuition fee and monthly

6 Coaching for SCs Rs.30,000 -do- 1,00,000 1,500.00 stipend to be paid during the course.

Year-wise no. of students to be covered : -

Upgradation of Merit of Students per
7 Rs. 25,000 p.a. 25,000 875.00 I - 25,000 III - 75,000
SC Students annum
II - 50,000 IV & V - 1 lakh each year
At least 50% of the hostels would be for girl
Babu Jagjivan Ram students
Chhatrawas Yojana
(BJRCY)- Boys Hostels Additional
8 Rs3,00,000 2 lakh 6,000.00
seats

- Girls Hostels

Assistance to Vol. Rates of honorarium to the teachers etc. are

Rs 1 crore (@Rs. proposed to be enhanced for residential/non-
9 Orgns. Working for Projects 500 500.00
20 lakh per annum) residential Schools etc.
SCs.
To cover all the villages in the Country with >50%
SC population, with enhanced rate of gap-filling
10 PMAGY Rs.50 lakh Villages 44,000 22,000.00 component @ Rs. 50 lakh per village.

Maximum rate of admissible subsidy to be enhanced

BPL SC
11 SCA to SCSP Rs50,000 50 lakh 25,000.00 to Rs.50,000 from existing 10,000.
families
50000 beneficiaries is an estimated figure. The
actual figure would be available after the survey
12 SRMS Rs1,00,000 Beneficiaries 50,000 500.00
being undertaken is over.

83
 State SC  
Equity Support to
13 Rs. 25 crore Development 20 500.00
SCDCs
Corporations
Equity support to Authorised equity is proposed to be enhanced to
14 Rs.200 crore p.a.   1,000.00 Rs.2,000 crore from existing Rs.1,000 crore.
NSFDC
A Proposal to enhance the authorised equity to
Equity support to Rs.600 crore from existing Rs.300 Crore is under
15 Rs.50 crore   250.00
NSKFDC consideration of the Govt.
It is proposed to enhance the rate of annual grant
Grant-in-aid to Dr. from existing Rs.1 crore to 5 crore.
16 Rs.5 crore p.a.     25.00
Ambedkar Foundation
For establishment of this centre, five bungalows at
Construction and
Janpath have been handed over to Dr. Ambedkar
Establishment of "Dr. Rs.175- Non-
Foundation. An amount of Rs.10 crore has already
B.R.Ambedkar recurring
17     200.00 been provided in the B.E. 2011-12.
National Centre for Rs. 25 crore -
Social Justice" at Recurring
Janpath, New Delhi.

Capital Grant to Babu  

18 Jagjivan Ram National       10.00
Foundation
Implementation of PoA  
19     750.00
and PCR Acts.
        Total-I 1,15,585  
II.                New Schemes (Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment)  
1 Pre Matric Scholarship Please see remarks Students 1.8 cr. for 70,750.00 It is proposed to cover students of Classes IX-X in
for SC Students col. classes the first year of the XII Plan, and to extend coverage
VI-X to Classes I-VIII from the second year onwards

3.20 cr. Financial Implications would be as follows : -

For

84
 Class Unit Cost for Estimated Estimated
the XII Plan No. of financial
period Students requirement
(in Rs.) (in crore) (Rs. In
crore)
IX-X 25000/- (for 5 0.55 13,750
years)
classes I-
V
VII- 20,000/- (for 4 1.25
VIII years) 25,000

I-V 10,000/- (for 4 3.2

years) 32,000

Total 70,750
Integrated development of 600 Selected blocks with
Integrated Development high SC concentration
2 of SC concentration Rs. 10 crore Blocks 600 6,000.00
Blocks

85
3 Two of the 5 instituions/Universities could be :
Research : - i) Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar (Central)
(i) Infrastructure University, Lucknow
development in five
premier ii) BANISS, MHOW, (M.P) etc.
institutions/Universities Other institution would be identified in due course.
to enable them to
conduct research on the
Lump-sum     500.00
themes of Social
Justice,
(ii) support to other
premier research
institution for
conducting SC related
research

4
Employment linked
Students to be
Education in
Rs. 20,000 covered per 1.0 lakh 200.00
collaboration with
annum
Industries (PPP Mode)

A corpus fund to be created for supporting SC

National SC One time corpus talents in diverse areas, for purposes not covered
5   - 100.00
Development Fund grant under existing Schemes.

Assistance to SHGs of For promotion of SHGs of SCs & Micro-credit to

SC beneficiaries with a them.
view to Financial
Inclusion and
6 Rs.25,000 SHGs 4 lakh 1,000.00
promotion of Micro-
credit (NSFDC and
Ministries of RD and
HUPA )
7 National Bank for Lumpsum equity     1,000.00 Initial Equity support to be provided by the Govt.

86
 for setting up a National Bank for Inclusive
Inclusive Development support Development
A comprehensive scheme for development of
Scheme for most specially disadvantaged SC communities, like
8 vulnerable SC Lump-sum provision     500.00 Musahars, would be worked out
Communities

 
Credit Guarantee Trust
9 for loan given to SC       200.00
borrowers

A National portal for SCs for all conceivable

10 National Portal for SCs Rs.2 crore Channel 1 2.00 information for their development
Lump-sum provision     500.00  
Equity Support for
establishement of a
National level
11 Marketing Organisation
for promotion/marke-
ting of products of SC
beneficiaries

Rs.100 crore     100.00 An amount of Rs. 100 crore is proposed to suitably

Development of the Dr. develop the Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial,
Ambedkar National situated at 26 Alipur Road, Delhi.
12
Memorial at 20, Alipur
Road

 
  Total - II       80,852.00

III.             Schemes of Other Ministries/Departments

87
 A. Schemes specifically recommended by the Working Group

  Deptt. of School          
Education & literacy
To set up residential schools for SC girls in 600
Selected blocks with high SC concentration.
Residential Schools
(class VI-XII) for SC Rs.12 crore per Residential
1 600 7,200.00
Girls in blocks with Residential School School
high SC concentration

  Dept. of Land          
Resources

Rs.2.5 lakh (subsidy Rural landless 10 lakh 25,000.00

component) SC families
Assistance to rural
 
2 landless SC families for
purchase of private land

         
Deptt. of
 
LR/RD/Agriculture

Rs.1.00 lakh SC Landholders 5 lakh 5,000.00

Irrigation & (subsidy component)
3 Development of lands  
of SC landholders

88
  M/o of I&B          
  Awareness Generation          

Establishment of a
"Social Justice"
4 Lump Sum   1 100.00
Channel of
Doordarshan

Financial support to SC
youth to run F.M./
Rs.30 lakh per
5 community radios Community 600 180.00 Pilot project
Station
stations and FM Ratio Station
channels
  M/o of IT          
6 I.T. enabled services          
Websites relating to
(a) Rs.20 lakh   100 20.00 Pilot project ; 100 website in 100 Distt.
SCs
Common Service
4000 CSCs in SC - majority villages/ Gram
(b) Centres (CSCs) in SC - Rs.2,50,000 CSC 4000 100.00
Panchayats
majority villages
Ministry of Labour
           
and Employment
 
Skill Upgradation of SC
7  Rs. 20,000 Beneficiaries 2.5 lakh 500.00
youth

89
        
Department of
Industrial Policy &
  Promotion/Ministry of  
Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises

Rs. 5 lakh SC 1 lakh  

iii) Financial assistance Entrepreneurs
to SC entreprenurs for
acquiring land/ built up
  5,000.00
space for setting up
industries/ service
undertaking etc.

  Sub-Total-A       43,100.00  
B. Other Schemes (Existing and New)
SCSP Outlay in Ongoing programmes of various Ministries and for
i) Poverty Alleviation new programmes not listed here.
programmes,  
ii) Social sector  
programmes, and iii)
1 Other beneficiary-       2,65,000.00  
oriented Programmes of
various Ministries
(excl. M/o SJ&E)
(Notably in Ministries
as per Annex-4.1)
  Sub-Total-B       2,65,000.00
  Total-III (A+B)       3,08,100.00
Grand Total
        5,04,537.00
(I+II+III)
.     Or, say , Rs. 5 lakh crore

90
 ABSTRACT
Outlay (In crore Rs.)

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment  

I  
 
  i) Existing Schemes       1,15,585.00
ii) New Schemes  80,852.00
        Total 1,96,437.00
Other Ministries/Departments
II    
 
i) Schemes specifically
  recommended by the     43,100.00
Working Group
ii) Other Schemes
      2,65,000.00
(Existing and New)
        Total 3,08,100.00

Grand Total 5,04,537.00

Or, say, Rs. 5 lakh crore

91
 4.1.5 Other Recommendations

I. Legislative Measures.

S. No. Recommendation
1. The following new laws should be enacted at the earliest :-

i) Providing for reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in

Government employment.

ii) Providing for reservation for SCs/STs in Private Educational Institutions

in pursuance with clause (5) of Article 15 of the Constitution.

iii) To strictly outlaw manual scavenging and insanitary latrines, rehabilitate

manual scavengers, and regulate working conditions of other sanitation
workers.

iv) For prevention of appropriation, by non-SCs, of lands owned by SCs.

v) Relevant Labour Laws should be amended and/or suitable notifications

should be issued under them, so as to bring sanitation workers under their
purview/protection.

2. The following laws should be amended at the earliest.

i) Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,

1989, to make it more effective.

ii) Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 to make it more effective.

iii) The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, to
suitably protect the interests of SC children.

iv) The Representation of the People Act to disqualify person guilty of

atrocities for contesting elections.

92
II. Changes necessary in the Schemes of the Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment.

S. No. Recommendation

1. Scholarships rates should be revised at least every two years, based on

increase in cost of living index.

2. Fee payable by SC students should be paid by the Government directly to the

concerned Institutions and SC students should not have to pay any fees to
them.

3. Several members of the Working Group were of the view that the parental
income ceiling, as an eligibility condition, under all Scholarship Schemes for
SCs should be done away with. This concern needs to be adequately
addressed. In case, completely doing away with income ceiling is not found
feasible, or appropriate, the ceiling should be adequately and regularly
revised.

4. The condition of most of the existing hostels for SC students is deplorable.

They should be maintained to a satisfactory and acceptable level.

5. Arms licenses should be given freely to SCs in atrocity prone areas, and the
licenses of person committing atrocities should be cancelled.

6. Amount of relief to SC/ST victims of atrocities, under PoA Rules, should be

adequately and periodically revised.

7. State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs) of National Scheduled Castes Finance

and Development Corporation (NSFDC) and National Safai Karamcharis
Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) should be appropriately
strengthened.

8. Dr. Ambedkar Foundation and Babu Jagjivan Ram Foundation should be

strengthened so that they acquire eminence in their field.

III. Schemes of other Ministries

III.1 Ministry of HRD
9. In the Residential Schools, for SC girls to be started in 600 selected blocks,
75% of the seats may be for SC girls and the remaining 25% for girls from
ST, BC & minorities Communities, and for poor students belonging to Other

93
 Communities.

10. The Ministry of Human Resources Development (HRD), University Grants

Commission (UGC), AICTE, etc. should take appropriate measures to ensure
implementation of reservation, inter-alia, for SCs in teaching positions.

11. The pool of qualified SC teachers at every level of education should be

augmented by increasing capacity of existing teacher-training institutions, and
creating new teacher-training institutions.

III. 2 Ministry of Rural Development

12. An initiative should be launched, with full financial provisions and
organizational arrangements at Central Government, State Government and
local levels, to provide irrigation facilities on lands held by SCs- through
NREGA and other programmes.

III.3 Ministry of Urban Development

13. The Ministry should give liberal financial assistance to urban local bodies to
acquire modern technology for sanitation work and to give adequate
protective gear to sanitation workers.

14. Housing facilities should be provided to Scheduled Castes living in urban

areas.

IV Other Recommendations (relating to Management, etc.)

S. No. Recommendation
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
1. Use of e-governance must be made to ensure regular, timely and correct
disbursement of scholarship to students.

2. Development programmes for SCs should be closely monitored with the

involvement of, inter- alia, elected representatives and NGOs etc.

3. PoA and PCR Acts should be implemented more effectively.

4. Wide publicity to the developmental Schemes and Programmes should be

continuously given through audio, video and print media. Awareness
building should be stepped up on education & health programmes, legal aid
and other related matters like Prevention of Atrocities etc.

94
 5. Quantitative and qualitative augmentation of manpower in the SCD bureau
of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for effective
implementation and monitoring over various programmes.

Ministry of Women and Child Development

6. Anganwadis should be located in or adjacent to SC bastis. Anganwadi
workers in SC bastis should normally be from SCs. ICDS must ensure
100% enrolment and retention of SC mothers and children.

Non-discriminatory treatment of SC mothers and children in Anganwadis

should be ensured.

SC parents should also be given due representation in the management of

Anganwadis.

Ministry of Personnel Public Grievances and Pensions, D/o Personnel and

Training
7. A personnel policy should be drawn up and expeditiously brought into
force, whereby, inter alia, officers of All India and Group A services will
necessarily serve in the Scheduled Castes (and Scheduled Tribes) sector for
at least 5 years, and this will be a pre-condition for their career
advancement.

8. The Special Recruitment Drive to fill up backlog vacancies for SCs should
be expeditiously completed.

Ministry of MSME, Ministry of Commerce & Industry

9. In all contracts for procurement of goods and services by Govt. and PSUs,
from MSMEs, there should be at least 20% reservation for SC/ST suppliers.

10. Govt. should make provision for reservation in industrial plots, commercial
units, flatted estate units, shops etc. for SC entrepreneurs.

11. Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) should be

suitably associated with programmes of promotion of entrepreneurship
among SCs.

12. Adequate no. of Leather clusters should be established to meet the needs of
leather workers in a coordinated and dedicated manner. Special Scheme for
SC Leather Workers providing technical assistance for quality upgradation
and training should be started.

95
 13. Provision of tripartite agreement among the loan giving agency, SC loanee,
and the department awarding him/her the work order may be made in all
cases where supply orders are given to SC suppliers. Under such
agreement, loans/credit facility may be extended against the security of
work orders and payments of loan installments made by the work order
awarding agency directly to the loan giving agency.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

14. Health Centres should be located in or adjacent to SC bastis.

15. All National programmes of the Health Ministry, including NHRM, to

consciously and specifically target SCs, and monitor their coverage.

96