The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) convened the 28th Coordination Committee Meeting to address the issues of untouchability and atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). Chaired by the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment and the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, the meeting focused on key issues including charge sheet filing rates, case pendency in courts, the status of Exclusive Special Courts, Vigilance and Monitoring Committee meetings, pending grievances on the National Helpline against Atrocities, and action plans to improve the implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights (PCR) Act, 1955, and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) (PoA) Act, 1989. Participants reaffirmed the government's commitment to providing dignity to vulnerable sections of society and emphasized the importance of regular state and district-level monitoring committee meetings. State officers were directed to prevent the exploitation of SC/ST populations and increase the establishment of Special Police Stations. The committee, originally formed in 2006, aims to curb atrocities and ensure the effective administration of the PCR and PoA Acts.
Key Entities Referenced
National Helpline against Atrocities: A helpline for reporting atrocities.
Ministry of Social Justice Empowerment DoSJE: The government ministry responsible for organizing the coordination committee meeting.
28th Coordination Committee Meeting: A meeting organized to discuss ways to curb offences of Untouchability and Atrocities against SCs and STs.
SCs: Scheduled Castes, a group of historically disadvantaged communities in India.
STs: Scheduled Tribes, a group of historically disadvantaged indigenous communities in India.
PIB Delhi: Press Information Bureau, Delhi - the agency that posted the notification.
23 MAY 2025: Date of the notification.
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment SJE, Dr. Virendra Kumar: One of the co-chairs of the meeting.
Union Minister for Tribal Affairs TA, Shri Jual Oram: Co-chair of the 28th meeting.
New Delhi: Location of the 28th meeting.
Dr. Ramdas Athawale: Union Minister of State.
Shri B.L. Verma: Union Minister of State.
Shri Durga Das Uikey: Union Minister of State.
PCR Act: Protection of Civil Rights Act.
PoA Acts: Prevention of Atrocities Act.
State Level and District Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee Meetings: Meetings to review the implementation of the provisions of Act in their respective States and Districts.
Special Police Stations: Police stations established to address SC/ST related issues.
States Governments: Refers to governments of various states in India
Ministry of Home Affairs: A ministry of the Government of India.
Tribal Affairs: Related to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Law and Justice: Related to the Ministry of Law and Justice.
National Commission for Scheduled Castes: A commission responsible for the welfare of Scheduled Castes.
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes: A commission responsible for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes.
Parliamentary Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes: A parliamentary committee focused on the welfare of SCs and STs.
Protection of Civil Rights PCR Act, 1955: An act to prescribe punishment for the preaching and practice of untouchability
Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes Prevention of AtrocitiesPoA Act, 1989: An act to prevent atrocities against SCs and STs.
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
DoSJE organizes 28th Coordination Committee
Meeting to devise Ways and Means to curb Offences
of Untouchability and Atrocities against SCs and STs
Posted On: 23 MAY 2025 8:09PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment (SJ&E), Dr. Virendra Kumar, and Union Minister for
Tribal Affairs (TA), Shri Jual Oram, co-chaired the 28th meeting of the Committee to devise ways and means
to curb offences of Untouchability and Atrocities against SCs and STs, in New Delhi today. It was also graced
by the presence of Union Ministers of State, Dr. Ramdas Athawale, Shri B.L. Verma and Shri Durga Das
Uikey.
In the meeting, discussions were held regarding charge sheet filing rate in the courts, pendency of cases in
courts, status of Exclusive Special courts, meeting of Vigilance and Monitoring Committees, pending
grievances on National Helpline against Atrocities and Action plan to do away with shortcomings in
implementation of the PCR and PoA Acts etc. was reviewed. The Committee reaffirmed the resolution of the
Government to provide dignity to all the vulnerable sections of the society.
Union Minister, Dr. Virendra Kumar, in his concluding remarks, emphasized upon regular conduct of State
Level and District Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee Meetings to review the implementation of the
provisions of Act in their respective States and Districts. State Officers were asked to take measures in order
to ensure the SC & ST Population are not exploited in their States. Further, he emphasized upon increase in
establishment of Special Police Stations, to fix accountability and take action against erring officials as per the
provisions of PoA Act in case of neglect of duty.The meeting concluded with a commitment from all participants to work together to ensure that the intent and
spirit of these crucial Acts are upheld and justice is delivered to the victims of caste-based discrimination and
atrocities. It witnessed participation from various States Governments at the level of Additional Chief
Secretaries, Secretaries, Principal Secretaries/Secretaries of the SC/ST Development/Welfare Department,
Home Department and Senior Police officials of the States/UTs attended the meeting.
Background
A committee, under the Chairpersonship of Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment along with
the members from Ministry of Home Affairs, Tribal Affairs, Law and Justice, National Commission for
Scheduled Castes, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes and three non-official members (two amongst
SCs and one amongst STs), was set up in the year 2006 on the recommendation of the Parliamentary
Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. It aims to devise ways and means to
curb offences of atrocities and ensure effective administration of the Protection of Civil Rights (PCR) Act,
1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities){PoA} Act, 1989.
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VM/GS
(Release ID: 2130851)