Amarinder gives nod to put new SC welfare bill before cabinet

CHANDIGARH: In a move that will earmark a part of the state’s annual budget for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes (SCs) in proportion to their population in Punjab, chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday gave the go-ahead for putting a new Bill before the cabinet, thus paving way for its enactment in the next assembly session.

The Punjab State Welfare and Development of Scheduled Castes (Planning, Earmarking and Utilization of Financial Resources) Sub-Allocation Bill, 2021 will also enable the government to put in place an institutional mechanism to formulate and monitor the implementation of the Scheduled Caste SubPlan (SCSP), and connected matters, said a spokesperson.

The legislation, when passed in the assembly, will provide the state government a platform to ensure the overall development of the SCs through effective implementation of various welfare schemes under the SCSP. Punjab has the highest percentage of SC population in the country at 31.94%.

Reiterating his government’s firm commitment to the socioeconomic and educational development of the SC population, the CM said the bill will give a big boost to his government’s efforts to ensure the welfare of this segment. The directorate of scheduled castes subplan would be the nodal agency to ensure formulation of SCSP, besides monitoring implementation.

The competent authority would accord approval to the SCSP simultaneously with the state annual budget of relevant financial year before submitting it to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.