BENGALURU: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, who also holds the revenue portfolio, on Tuesday promised a delegation of Dalits that steps will be taken to fill backlog vacancies reserved for the SCs and STs in universities and other government departments soon.
“Our government will fill 72,000 vacant posts in various departments. The SCs and STs will be recruited as per reservation. In addition, several posts reserved for various categories remain vacant. These backlog vacancies, including those in universities and some major departments, will be filled. The matter will be discussed with the chief minister,” he told reporters after meeting the delegation.
Stating that the PTCL Act has been amended, Dr Parameshwara said provision D has been removed to facilitate transfer of land granted to Dalits to others. However, there are concerns that its implementation has been delayed. “I assured the delegation that the government will take an appropriate decision in this regard soon,” he added.
On some DSS leaders’ statement that the Dalit community is not benefiting from the five guarantee schemes, Dr Parameshwara said people from the community, who are not receiving the benefits of the guarantees, will be identified soon. Steps will be taken to reach the benefits to them.
On the demand to increase the post-matric scholarship of Rs 1,800 per student, he said it should be hiked to Rs 3,000. He promised that it will be revised after talks with the CM. This will be included in the next budget.
Dr Parameshwara said the fees of SC/ST students studying abroad will be paid by the government. Neelavva Ningavva Harijan, member of the Indian squad that won the World Cup cricket for persons with disabilities last year, was living in a shed. The government provided her Rs 5 lakh last year. She will soon be allotted a residential site, he added.
Dalit leaders Mavalli Shankar, Prof Indira Krishnappa, M Venkataswamy, Sridhar Kaliveera and Subbu Holeyar, Revenue Additional Chief Secretary Rajendra Kumar Kataria, Revenue Commissioner Meena Nagaraj, and Social Welfare Principal Secretary Mohan Raj were present.