RANCHI: The Jharkhand Cabinet of Wednesday authorised the sub-inspector- and inspector-level police officers to investigate the cases registered under Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Earlier, officials below the rank of DSP were not authorised to investigate such cases.
According to Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel, there is a steep rise in such cases, but number of DSP rank officials is very low in the state. “So far the cases registered under Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act could be investigated by the officials not below a DSP rank official, but after this decision sub-inspector and inspector rank official can also investigate such cases,” said Dadel.
As of now, there are only 106 DSP rank officials in Jharkhand, while nearly 4,200 cases under the Act remain pending, she added. The cabinet on Wednesday also gave its approval for a total of 32 proposals, including increasing the honorarium of ‘Parganait’, providing leadership to the tribal social system at the village Panchayat level in Santhal Paragana region, from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000.
It also approved to the proposal of payment of Rs 1.2 crore as compensation to 24 victims and dependents of 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Bokaro. It also gave its approval to a proposal to amend statutes on minimum qualification for appointment of teachers under which a PhD degree is no longer mandatory to apply for the post of assistant professor at higher education institutions.