NEW DELHI: Around 55,544 victims of atrocities belonging to the SC/ST communities were provided relief during 2018-19, according to data submitted in Parliament.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment released Rs 405.72 crore during 2018-19 as central assistance to states and Union Territories for providing relief and rehabilitation to victims under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The number of cases registered under the SC/ST Act is not available for the past two years as the last data released by the National Crime Records Bureau was for 2016.
However, according to the data, in 2018, the highest number of victims received relief since 2014. Additionally, the amount of assistance provided by the Centre was also the highest.
During 2017-18, the number of victims given relief were 50,515 and the funds released for their rehabilitation Rs 355.86 crore. The number of atrocity victims given relief during 2016-17 was 39,514 and assistance provided was Rs 222.56 crore.
In 2016, as many as 47,338 cases were registered under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, according to data released by the NCRB.