VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to expedite the investigation of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act cases to ensure punishment to the guilty at the earliest. He made it clear that the system should function in a manner that prevents misuse of the law while ensuring that those who commit offences are duly punished.
A State-level High-Power Committee on the implementation of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the welfare of SCs and STs was held at the chairmanship of the Chief Minister at his Camp Office in Undavalli on Saturday.
The Chief Minister called for a special study into the relatively high number of atrocity cases against SCs and STs reported in Guntur, Anantapur, East Godavari and Prakasam districts. He directed officials to examine not only the number of cases but also their nature, the reasons behind them and the time taken for their disposal. He called for measures to ensure speedy resolution of cases.
The Chief Minister expressed dissatisfaction over 131 district-level meetings that are still pending. He directed them to understand the problems faced by SCs and STs at the grassroots level and take appropriate measures for their resolution.
As two-and-a-half decades have passed since the Justice Punnayya Commission submitted its report, the Chief Minister ordered a comprehensive study of the conditions prevailing at that time and the changes that have taken place since then.
He stressed that all departments should work in coordination to ensure not only the economic empowerment of SCs and STs but also to build their confidence.
He called for efforts to achieve inclusive growth with the participation of all sections of society.
The Chief Minister stressed the need to pay special attention to the education of students from SC and ST communities and prepare them to compete for admission to prestigious institutions such as IITs and IIMs.
The Chief Minister criticised certain political parties for creating controversy over such a positive initiative, alleging that they were doing so with the intention of preventing SC and ST students from pursuing education and progressing in life.
The Chief Minister directed the SC and ST Finance Corporations to undertake large-scale employment generation programmes.
He explained that opportunities should be fully utilised to increase the incomes of tribal communities in Agency areas through commercial crops such as coffee and forest produce.
The Chief Minister directed that the Net Zero policy be implemented in SC and ST student hostels.
Ministers Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, Vangalapudi Anitha and Gummadi Sandhyarani, MPs Krishna Prasad and D Prasad, MLAs from SC and ST constituencies were present.