National and state SC/ST commission
National SC commission
National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) is an Indian constitutional body established with a view to provide safeguards against the exploitation of Scheduled Castes to promote and protect their social, educational, economic and cultural interests, special provisions were made in the Constitution.
Functions
- To investigate and monitor all matters relating to the safeguards provided for the Scheduled Castes under this Constitution or under any other law for the time being in force or under any order of the Government and to evaluate the working of such safeguards.
- To inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the Scheduled Castes.
- To participate and advise on the planning process of socio-economic development of the Scheduled Castes and to evaluate the progress of their development under the Union and any State.
- To present to the President, annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working of those safeguards.
- To make in such reports recommendations as to the measures that should be taken by the Union or any State for the effective implementation of those safeguards and other measures for the protection, welfare and socio-economic development of the Scheduled Castes.
- To discharge such other functions in relation to the protection, welfare and development and advancement of the Scheduled Castes as the President may, subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament, by rule specify.
National ST commission
The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) was established by amending Article 338 and inserting a new Article 338A in the Constitution through the Constitution (89th Amendment) Act, 2003. By this amendment, the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was replaced by two separate Commissions namely-
- the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC),
- (ii) the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) w.e.f. 19 February, 2004.
Powers of the Commission
For Investigation and Inquiry, the Commission is vested with powers of a civil court having authority to:
- Summon and enforce attendance of any person and examine on oath.
- Discovery & production of any documents.
- Receive evidence on affidavits.
- Requisition any public record or copy thereof from any court or office.
- Issue Commissions for examination of witnesses and documents.
- And Any matter which President, by rule, may determine.
Functions of the Commission
- To investigate & Monitor matters relating to Safeguards provided for STs under the Constitution or under other laws or under Govt. Order, to evaluate the working of such Safeguards.
- To inquire into specific complaints relating to Rights & Safeguards of STs.
- To participate and advise in the Planning Process relating to Socio-economic development of STs, and to evaluate the progress of their development under the Union and any State.
- To submit report to the President annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit, upon/ working of Safeguards, Measures required for effective implementation of Programmers/ Schemes relating to Welfare and Socio-economic development of STs.
- To discharge such other functions in relation to STs as the President may, subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament, by rule specify.
- The Commission would also discharge the following other functions in relation to the protection, welfare and development & advancement of the Scheduled Tribes, namely:
- Measures that need to be taken over conferring ownership rights in respect of minor forest produce to the Scheduled Tribes living in forest areas.
- Measures to be taken to safeguard rights to the Tribal Communities over mineral resources, water resources etc. as per law.
- Measures to be taken for the development of tribals and to work for move viable livelihood strategies.
- Measures to be taken to improve the efficacy of relief and rehabilitation measures for tribal groups displaced by development projects.
- Measures to be taken to prevent alienation of tribal people from land and to effectively rehabilitate such people in whose case alienation has already taken place.
- Measures to be taken to elicit maximum cooperation and involvement of Tribal Communities for protecting forests and undertaking social afforestation.
State level SC/ST commission
Different states has founded SC/ST commissions to address the issues related to both the casts.
Role of State level commission:
- The study the existing state of various provisions in the Constitutions and by the State Government for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes and suggest measures to fulfill the same.
- To investigate various grievances raised by members from Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
- To participate in the process of creation of schemes related to the economic upliftment of Scheduled Castes and Tribes and provide advice to the State Government regarding the same.
- To take a review of matters registered under the Scheduled Castes / Tribes Atrocities Act 1989 and Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955.
- To take review of the financial assistance to be given to the affected persons under the above mentioned acts. To accept and investigate grievances of SC/ST employees related to service.
- To take a review of policies related to Scheduled Castes / Tribes. To provide advice to the State Government for rolling out beneficial schemes for Scheduled Castes and Tribes.