NEW DELHI: In a first of its kind initiative, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes is planning to maintain a database of complaints it receives and their status. However, the move would be possible only if the Commission’s task force is expanded, says its chairperson Nand Kumar Sai.
Sai said the Commission had earlier written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue and is considering writing again in the absence of a response.“We do not have enough manpower at this stage. We had written to the Prime Minister almost a year back. We need more financial and administrative assistance so that we can work at a faster pace.and then we can recruit more talented people,” says Sai.
The compilation of data would help the Commission identify states that the most number of grievances come from, more vulnerable tribal communities and the nature of the complaints.
Additional staff would ensure the Commission can enhance its work for the marginalised, he asserts.
“So far, we have no database of the grievances we receive from the tribals. But it is important to maintain a database in which all the complaints over time are consolidated and documented in the records. It will also be useful to record the number of complaints which we have acted on, and how many remain unresolved,” said Sai.
Different members and officials of the Commission and the Commission’s regional offices receive grievances in huge volumes from across the country. Complaints which do not get sorted at the state level come to the head office, says Sai.
Therefore, enumerating and compiling the total number of complaints would be an intensive process, he adds.The NCST’s functions include investigating and monitoring matters which relate to the safeguards provided to scheduled tribes.It is also responsible for inquiring into specific complaints related to ST population’s rights and safeguards.