VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has announced that the government will set up separate commissions for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). A Bill for the same will be introduced in the next session of the AP Legislative Assembly.At present, there is only one commission for both the SCs and STs. However, with both categories have different kinds of issues, the government has decided to form a separate commission for SCs and STs.
The Chief Minister, during a review meeting on Social and Tribal Welfare departments at his camp office at Tadepalli near here on Thursday, underscored the need for giving priority to education and medical care.
He also directed the officials to check whether basic amenities are in place in the hostels and residential schools for weaker sections.
“Number of hostels will be increased as per demand and vacant posts in the hostels will be filled. There are 927 vacant posts of cooks and watchmen in 309 hostels across the State.’’ He also directed the officials to ensure that the toilets in the hostels are clean and see that the blankets and other material used in the hostels are good and hygienic.
He said that the Tribal University will come up at Saluru and Tribal Medical College will be set up in Paderu and Kurupam will get the Tribal Engineering College. Super-speciality hospitals will be set up at ITDAs of Araku, Palakonda, Parvathipuram, Rampachodavaram, Chinturu, KR Puram and Dornala.
Directing the officials to identify the beneficiaries of ‘YSR Cheyutha’ under which eligible women over 45 years from SCs, STs, BCs and minorities will get financial support from the government to the tune of `18,750 per year, the Chief Minister said the scheme should be implemented in a transparent manner. He also asked the officials to resolve the issues coming in the way of giving pattas to tribals on forest land.
Deputy Chief Minister (Tribal Welfare) Pamula Pushpa Srivani, who participated in the meeting, said the Chief Minister has given instructions to make arrangements for laying foundation stones to Tribal University, Tribal Engineering College, Tribal Medical College and super-speciality hospitals in eight ITDAs.