Question : PROTECTION OF SCS AND WEAKER SECTIONS

(a) the details of statutes/laws enacted for preventing discrimination and ensuring the protection of the Scheduled Castes and other weaker sections of the society;

(b) the total number of cases registered under the Prevention of Atrocities, Act during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(c) whether atrocities and discrimination against SCs and weaker sections of the society at various levels are still prevailing/ increasing in different parts of the country despite several legislations for their prevention;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto; and

(e) the steps being taken by the Government to monitor strict implementation of the legislations for their protection and ensure justice to the Scheduled Castes and other weaker sections of the society?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI VIJAY SAMPLA)

(a) The Acts of Parliament namely the Protection of Civil Rights {PCR} Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes ( Prevention of Atrocities){PoA} Act, 1989 prescirbe punishment for the enforcement of any disability arising from the preaching and practice of ‘Untouchability’ and prevent atrocities against members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, provide for Special Courts for the trial of such offences and relief and rehabilitation of the victims of atrocities, repectively.

(b) State/Union Territory wise number of cases of offences of atrocities registered under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 in conjunction with the IPC, during 2011 to 2013, is given in the annexed statement.

(c) to (e) As per the data of National Crime Records Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs, the number of cases registered under the PoA Act in conjunction with the IPC in the country during the calendar year 2012 and 2013 were 39,512 and 46,114 respectively.

As the provisions of these two Act are implemented by the concerned State Governments and Union Territory Administrations, Central assistance is provided to them mainly for functioning and strengthening of the SC and ST Protection Cell and Special Police Stations, setting up and functioning of exclusive Special Courts, relief and rehabilitation of atrocity victims, awareness generation. Central Government has also been advising them from time to time to implement provisions of the two Acts in letter and spirit.

A Committee under the Chairpersonship of Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment constituted in March 2006, and comprising of members from Ministries of Social Justice and Empowerment, Home Affairs, Tribal Affairs, Law and Justice, Department of Justice, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes and three non-official Members(two amongst SCs and one amongst ST), also reviews implementation status of the said Acts in the States and Union Territories. The Committee has so far held twenty one meetings wherein implementation of the two Acts in 24 States and 4 Union Territories has been reviewed. Besides it, implementation of the Acts is also periodically reviewed with the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations.