CM reviews implementation of SC/ST Act at Vigilance Committee meeting
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 22 Sep: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami chaired the meeting of the State Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee at the Secretariat here today to review the effective implementation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. He emphasised that the committee’s deliberations should not remain confined to a formal review but must ensure that every victim of atrocity receives timely justice, security, dignity and rightful entitlements. He directed that the pending investigations and cases under special courts be reviewed regularly and disposed of within fixed timelines and for this the police, administration and prosecution departments should work in close coordination.
The CM directed that relief payments to victims must not be delayed and cases where disbursement has been held up should be separately examined. He stressed that assistance to the affected families should extend beyond financial relief to include medical care, education, security and rehabilitation, along with linkage to other eligible government schemes. In sensitive cases, the safety of victims and their families should be accorded top priority and it should be ensured children’s education is not disrupted and that scholarships and educational support schemes are extended to them.
During the review meeting, issues such as counselling, medical aid, social protection and economic rehabilitation were also discussed.
Dhami directed that senior-level accountability be fixed in every district for monitoring cases under the Act. He asked the police officers and staff to undergo regular training on the provisions of the Act, investigation of sensitive cases and victim handling, with refresher courses organised jointly by the Social Welfare, Police and Prosecution departments. He further instructed the development of a digital monitoring system to track investigations, court proceedings, relief payments and other assistance at the government level. Districts showing inadequate progress in disposal of cases or relief distribution are to be separately reviewed, while effective practices from better-performing districts should be shared.
The CM also called for extensive awareness campaigns in rural and remote areas about the provisions of the Act, legal rights and available assistance. He directed greater coordination among police, social welfare, education, health, revenue and other departments, and asked that proposals for additional manpower, training or budgetary support be promptly submitted to the government.
It was informed at the meeting that 189 cases were registered under the Act in 2024, 157 in 2025 and 116 up to 15 September 2026, of which 25 are under investigation. Relief assistance of Rs 228.71 lakh was provided to 205 victims in 2024-25, Rs 143.16 lakh to 127 victims in 2025-26 and Rs 99.528 lakh to 104 victims up to 18 September in the current financial year. Regular meetings have been held under the chairmanship of the chief secretary and the district magistrates.
Among those present at the meeting were Social Welfare Minister Khajan Das, MLA Mamta Rakesh, Home Secretary Shailesh Bagoli, Social Welfare Secretary Sridhar Babu Addanki, Revenue Council Secretary and Commissioner Ranjana Rajguru, ADG Police AP Ashuman, IG Barinderjit Singh, Social Welfare Director Sanjay Kumar, Tribal Welfare Director Sanjay Tolia and other officials.
