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July 11, 2004

 

 

Memorandum to President of Congress Party and ministers at Centre Govt.

 

A MEMORANDUM BY SCs&STs

 

With

 

A SHORT NOTE TO MOBILISE SC&ST DALITS

 

 

A. SC&ST DALITS’ MEMORANDUM

 

 

I.        PLANNING AND BUDGET

 

1.    Planning Commission should have a Strong Component of SCs&STs, if a Special SC&ST Planning Development and Co-ordination Commission, could not be created

2.    Special SC&ST Economic Programmes and Plans must be introduced, and they must be Reviewed and Restructured regularly

3.    Budgets should be prepared, only after Consultations with SC&ST Leaders and Associations.  SC&ST Dalits, being 260 million Plus today, can no more be neglected – nor any further.  The Consultations must be similar, if not exactly like those that the Finance Ministers do have these days, to consult big businesses and industrialists before finalising their Budgets.  That, though the FMs and their Govts win their Elections and come to Power, with the Votes of millions and millions of poor SC&ST Dalits, and not that of the Business Houses and Industrialists

4.    There should be a professional SC&ST Adviser to the Govt, and Consultants on SC&ST Issues in all Departments, to evolve Plans Programmes and Schemes of the Ministry/ Department in tune with, and to include the needs and interests of SCs&STs.  They must be drawn from outside the IAS lobby, which had all along betrayed the People of the Country, particularly the SC&ST Dalits

 

II.      PUBLIC SECTOR UNDERTAKINGS

 

5.    All CMDs, Managing Directors, and full-time functional Directors and Executive Directors, must be chosen from amongst only those who had originally joined initial Service, with proper full-time Professional Qualifications from Universities, and not those who just have got some namesake Degrees and Certificates.  All those, who had just managed to pick-up some Knowledge or Qualifications and Degrees on the job, being really not experts or good professionals, must be replaced immediately.  Particularly, the Services of all those who had risen from the ranks of Personal Assistants, Stenographers, Clerks, posts of PROs and Technical Assistants, with only matriculations or just Diplomas, who today monopolise the PSUs because of their castes, connections, strings and manipulations, must be dispensed with.  And in their places, properly qualified SC&ST Dalits must be employed as CMDs, MDs, EDs etc

6.    All PSUs in the Country, must be Developed in a big way without any exception, to achieve excellence in their respective spheres, and reach prominent Industrial and Business heights

7.    Every loss making PSU, must be subjected to special Scrutiny of Parliament – taking into account, the Views of the Workers and their Unions

8.    Loss-making PSUs, wherever necessary must be handed over to Workers Unions, or any specialist Management Consultants – for Revival, Reconstruction, Modernisation and Diversification.  For, there is something sinister that, while Private Sector Industries and Foreign Multi-National Companies are suddenly Mushrooming, and growing into unwieldly cancerous Giants virtually in no time, making unbelievably huge profits, PSUs are wilting one after the other, only to bloom again in the hands of others, after their Privatisation

 

III.    EMPLOYMENT OF SCs&STs

 

9.    Discriminations exploitations and harssaments are maximum, in the Unorganised Sector, which go undocumented.  SC&ST Dalits are mostly employed in the Unorganised Sector, and they suffer the most.  Perhaps the discriminations exploitations and harssaments take place in the Unorganised Sector, only because of SCs&STs there.  These injustices and unfair practices, often times crueller and most inhuman, must be put to an end at the earliest.  Therefore, an appropriate Agency/ Regulatory Authority must be created, to ensure that Rural Employments remain Fair and Just.  Anyone employing ten or more individuals for more than ten days, must first Register their Requirement with the Regulator before employing anyone, along with a Deposit of 100 Days Wages.  That Deposit should be utilised to pay the Worker, if they are not paid the Minimum Wages

10. There should be an Insurance Scheme for SCs&STs, to protect them in all cases of Dismissals and Un-employment, something similar to Retirement Benefits and Pension Payments, since there is still no Social Welfare Net in the Country 

11. Crafts Schools and Skill Development Centres must be established, for Promotion of Handicrafts, as most of the SCs&STs are generally engaged in these jobs, and there had been very little skill improvements for a quite long time

12. Rural Entrepreneur Development Centres must be Established in every Taluk, to Develop Entrepreneurship amongst the SCs&STs, particularly in the Rural Areas

 

IV.   EMPLOYMENT OF SC&ST SWEEPERS

 

13. Govt Offices, Public Sector Enterprises must promote Sweepers from SC&ST Communities to higher ranks, as Public Health Workers and Supervisors

14. Sweepers from SC&ST Communities must be employed at senior levels as Public Health Workers and Supervisors in Hospitals, all Panchayats, Municipalities, City Corporations, Market Places, Slaughter Houses, Bus Terminals, Railway Stations etc to maintain utmost cleanliness

15. Special Awards must be Instituted and Awarded to the best Public Health Workers and Supervisors who maintain cleanliness, comparable to good Air Ports, to duly recognise their hard work and contributions   

16. Govt must stop exploiting SC&ST Sweepers, and not privatise Sweepers Jobs, to benefit private contractors.  Govt must declare that Sweeping will be the last job to be privatised

17. All Panchayats, Municipalities, City Corporations, Govt Offices, Public Sector Enterprises must stop, the prevailing fraudulent practices of employing as Sweepers, others than those from the SC&ST Sweeper Communities, wanting to gain entry into service, get jobs and regular salaries as Sweepers, without actually doing any work of Sweepers

 

V.     SCs&STs IN SERVICE

 

18. Professionally Qualified SC&ST Dalits must be appointed as MDs, CMDs and Chairmen of PSUs, Banks and Financial Institutions

19. There should be a TRANSFER POLICY, with clear provisions to protect SCs&STs from deliberate discriminations of Transfers to distant, difficult, troubled and unwanted areas

20. SC&ST Dalits are deliberately shunted out, and posted to distant far off places.  Such harassments should be stopped.  SC&ST Dalits should not be posted, beyond the immediate adjacent States and Union Territories surrounding their home States/UTs other than the National Capital of Delhi

21. Moratorium on Persecution of all SC&ST Officials Employees and Workers, at least for five years, during the tenure of this Govt

22. Immediate Rehabilitation of all SC&ST Dalits and Minorities thrown out of, their Service/ Job/ Employment, by way of forced or coerced Voluntary Retirement Schemes, or Compulsory Retirements, or Dismissals etc

 

PROMOTIONS OF SC&ST DALITS IN SERVICE

 

23. SC&ST Employees must be protected, from being deliberately dropped out at the time of Promotions, due to the still lingering racial caste fears and antagonisms 

24. The current practices of avoiding deferring and delaying SC&ST Promotions must be stopped, as they are clear attempts to destroy the career progressions of SCs&STs

25. Every SC/ST recruited into superior Services, through All India Competitive Emanations by UPSC, must be given Time Bound Promotions, as in the case of those joining Indian Administrative Service, up to the rank/ grade of Joint Secretary at least.  Other SC&ST Officers, must be given at least one Promotion after every ten years of Service in a Post/ Rank 

26. SC/ST Employees recruited into subordinate or junior Services, must also be given Time Bound Promotions, and at least one Promotion for every ten years of their service 

27. The present practices of promoting others less qualified, or not qualified in the specific areas of work, or not adequately experienced, specially in the areas of work, or non-specialists, just to by-pass SC&ST Dalits who are more qualified, better qualified, that too in the specific areas of work and with right and adequate eperiences, must be stopped , at least now, and the SC&ST Dalits must be given due promotions, at the right times, even if they are not otherwise promoted in recognition of their Services and Contributions, and as the right and due incentives

 

RATINGS AND REPORTS OF SC&ST DALITS

 

28. Any SC&ST given an ACR or Grading that is below the requirement for Promotion, should be properly advised and given full opportunities to overcome the alleged ‘shortcomings’ observed by their superiors 

29. SC&ST Dalits, getting ACRs or Gradings below the Requirements for their next Promotions for the second time, must immediately be sent to undergo Appropriate Advanced Trainings, or Special Executive and Management Development Programmes to improve their performances

30. Most SCs&STs are deliberately given lukewarm and poor Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) and Ratings, to delay and deny their Promotions, because of the still prevailing and continuing caste biases and prejudices.  Hence, Severe Actions must be taken against Officers, giving more than one Adverse Report or poor Grading, to any SC&ST working under them 

31. Action should also be taken against HODs, wherever any SC/ST is given Adverse ACRs and Poor Reports, for consequent years

32. There should be Special Moderation Committees, to look into the ACRs and Gradings of SC&ST Officers and Employees.  These SMCs should have full Powers to expunge adverse, bad and lukewarm Entries in the Reports, and also upgrade the Gradings, well before any Promotions are made.  At least 50% Members of such SMCs should be SCs&STs from other Ministries/ Departments/ Organisations

 

VI.   EMPLOYMENT OF SCs&STs IN PRIVATE SECTOR

 

33. Merit is discounted, as it is totally subjective and invariably not a consideration for Employment, in most of the Private Sector Units.  Hence, Quantum Changes must be ensured in all Employments in the Private Sector, to ensure Justice to everyone in the Country

34. Private Sector and Business Activities in the Country, are all organised purely on the basis of Castes, and are not at all based on Merit.  Therefore, Drastic Changes must be made, to reduce Caste Considerations and Caste Influences at the time of Employments in the Private Sector, to provide Equal Opportunities to all irrespective of Considerations of Caste, Colour, Sex, Race  

35. There must be suitable Regulatory Authority to govern Employments in the Private Sector, as there is no possibility at all for the SCs&STs, Minorities and other backward castes in the Country, to get any decent or good or well paid Employment in the Private Sector, in the present day conditions

 

VII.  RESERVATIONS IN PRIVATE SECTOR

 

36. There must be Compulsory Reservations for Employment of SCs&STs, in all Private Sector Establishments, utilising Natural Resources of the People in the Country

37. Anyone using Land or Water, or employing more than thirty Individuals educated and trained in the Country, must strictly implement Reservations.  For, Industries and Businesses are for Public Good, and Welfare of the whole Society, and not for the private personal Profits and huge unlimited Earnings of Industrialists and Business Families, or the exclusive benefits of any single individual or group or caste 

 

VIII.     PAYMENT OF WAGES TO SCs&STs

 

38. Just Wages must be paid to SC&ST Dalits, who work physically to create lasting physical assets, and provide food to all People in the Country

39. Minimum Wages must be Development and Growth Oriented, and not be cruelly tied to Survival, or be meaninglessly kept down as Subsistence Wages.  Hence, SC&ST Employees should no more be paid Minimum or Subsistence or Survival Wages, while the others living on the contributions and produce of SC&ST Dalits, are easily and comfortably allowed to take home millions as Salaries, and at times even as incentives and increments

40. Payment of Full Wages to SC&ST Dalits must be ensured, as they are invariably not paid full wages due or promised, almost in every part of the Country.  This is so, even in the Public Sector and Govt Offices – under some pretext or the other

 

IX.   EQUAL WAGES FOR ALL

 

41. The relative Gap between SC&ST Dalit Workers, and Officials in Govt or Private must be reduced gradually and regularly, to bridge the gulf step by step, and at the earliest

42. The ultimate Aim of the Govt must be, Equal Wages for all in the Country

43. Wages must be in proportion to hours of Work, difficulties, hardships and risks involved in the Job, actual and direct energy input to the job, and contributions to the basic needs of People in the Country, as well as the needs of the family of the workers/ employees

 

X.     END HUNGER DEATHS

 

44. Hunger Deaths of poor SC Dalits and helpless ST Dalits must be stopped all around the Country, with utmost priority and at any cost

45. There should be Day-Care Centres with Nutritious Mid-Day Meal Programme in every SC&ST Colonies and Villages, to protect all the young Children, particularly all those suffering from severe mal-nutrition/ different avoidable sicknesses, that would otherwise lead to hunger deaths these days, in different parts of the Country

46. Spending huge funds from the Public Exchequer, just to store rotting Food-Stocks in the Godowns, must be stopped.  SC&ST Dalits must be engaged in the tasks of assessing the Life and Quality of each lot of Grains procured, to prevent them being distributed to SCs&STs, after the expiry of their shelf/ storage lives.  Like Drugs, Food Stocks must be packed properly, and scientifically stored, indicating procurement date, storage life, and expiry date.  All old stocks must be assessed for their Utility – human consumption, or use as feedstock to animals, bird and fish, or as manure in the farms; or condemnation and safe deep burial or incineration.

47. Non-moving and slow-moving FOOD-STOCKS, must be Distributed to SC&ST Dalits, after assessing their quality, immediately after the end of half their storage lives.  Revenue Authorities must be held responsible for their distribution to poor SCs&STs in Rural Areas and City Slums

48. Schemes like CREATION OF PUBLIC PHYSICAL ASSETS AND WORK FOR FOOD must be launched, in the poor backward SC&ST Areas.  Revenue Authorities should be asked to get created, reasonably proportionate Public Physical Assets in return for the grains distributed.  The Concept should be, just exactly reverse and opposite to the present Scheme of FOOD FOR WORK, which fails to take off in many areas, as the authorities are too slow in coming out with Plans for the Works, that need to be taken up

 

XI.   PROVISION OF MEDICAL FACILITIES

 

49. Dispensaries and Medical Sub-Centres for rendering First Aid, be set up in every SC&ST Colony, both in the Rural and Urban Areas 

50. All Dispensaries and Medical Sub-Centres in SC&ST Areas must be manned by local SC&ST Youngsters trained by Medical Colleges and Hospitals as Para-Medics, to ensure that their the Dispensaries and Medical Centres are always manned 

51. Proper and full fledged Medical Treatment Facilities, and Maternity Centres with pre-Natal/ anti-Natal, peri-Natal and Post-Natal Care for Infants and Mothers be set up, wherever possible in SC&ST Areas, both in Rural Areas and Urban Slums, and not be restricted to only in VIP Areas

 

XII.  EDUCATION OF SCs&STs

 

52. All Educational Institutions, Govt or Private, must Admit 25% SC&ST Dalit Students, without any exception

53. All SC&ST Dalit Students must be given proper and adequate Freeships and Scholarships/ Fellowships, without any restriction to study, and to avoid dropouts

54. SC&ST Students must be given preferences, at the time of Admissions in all Educational Institutions.  The entire Indian Society needs to be educated on priority, if the Country is to develop as a Civilised Nation.  Hence, the least educated must be admitted for Education first, instead of admitting only those from the already well educated families, and with higher marks

55. Dominant Caste Students, claiming to have Extraordinary Talents and superior family backgrounds, and educated parents, must be encouraged to go to Open Schools, or take up Continuing or Correspondence Courses.  They can always afford the best of private costly coaching classes and expensive expert tutions, better resources, etc

 

XIII.     SC&ST TEACHERS

 

56. SC&ST Teachers must be employed on a preferential basis, to spread Education amongst SCs&STs

57. SC&ST Teachers must also be appointed and promoted as Head Masters and Principals, to give a big push to SC&ST Dalits Education

58. All SC&ST Students must be engaged to Teach other SCs&STs, both old and young during Summer Vacations.  They should be given appropriate honorariums, to expeditiously spread literacy amongst SCs&STs

59. Incentives must be provided to start Schools, in every SC&ST Colonies, Villages and Hamlets, preferably to SC&ST Associations and Welfare Societies etc  

60. SC&ST Dalit Associations and Groups must be encouraged and helped, to start their own Educational Institutions – starting from Coaching Centres, Schools, Training Institutions, Technical Centres, Colleges etc  

61. SC&ST Dalits sending their Children for Education, should be exempted from all Taxes 

 

XIV.    MIDDAY MEALS IN SCHOOLS

 

62. Every Child in the Schools, without exception, must be compulsorily enrolled for Midday Meals, to ensure proper energy and balanced healthy food input, at least during the Daytimes on School Days

63. Only SC&ST Dalits must be appointed in the Kitchens and Dining-Halls, as Cooks, Helpers, Servers, Attendants, Cleaners etc, for bringing up a better and an early social-integration, at least in the Schools

 

XV. HOSTEL FACILITIES FOR SC&ST STUDENTS

 

64. Hostel Facilities on priority to all outstation SC&ST Students must be provided, as they could never find, and also could not afford to pay for any Private Accommodation

65. Proper Hostel Facilities must be provided to SC&ST Students, coming from rural and distant areas

66. Compulsory Hostel Accommodation for Female SC&ST Dalit Students, must be provided on an immediate basis

67. More Hostel Facilities must be created, by different Colleges and Universities, by taking over or hiring out private accommodations wherever necessary

68. Building of Hostels for SC&ST Dalit Students must be Financed by the Central and State/ UT Govts 

69. Renowned Secular NGOs, must be encouraged to run Hostel Facilities for SC&ST Students, near the Colleges and Universities, to supplement the existing Hostel Facilities

 

XVI.    HOUSING FOR SC&ST DALITS

 

70. Special Schemes must be launched to provide Accommodation to SC&ST Dalits, particularly in the Cities, State Capitals and Delhi, as generally almost all House Owners are still not willing to provide any decent Accommodation to SC&ST Dalits, particularly the caste hindus

71. Transit and Hostel Accommodations must be built for SC&ST Employees  

72. In General Residential Areas, SC&ST Dalits must be allotted accommodation on a priority basis.  The first/ next-available accommodation must be allotted to SC&ST Dalits, to create composite and tolerant metropolitan Societies

73. Special Colonies for SCs&STs must be built, wherever necessary

74. Separate and Special SC&ST Housing Schemes must be launched, for providing Houses for Senior SC&ST Citizens, particularly those retiring from Service, but having no accommodation of their own anywhere to go, to spend their twilight years

 

XVII.  LAND REFORMS

 

75. Land Reforms must be taken up again all over the Country, honestly and sincerely with a time bound programme

76. All loop-holes in the present Land Reform Acts, and in the implementation stages must be plugged, immediately and at the earliest 

77. Land should be redistributed on a regular basis, at least every twenty years, on a continuing/ regular basis, to ensure that Land Reforms always remain meaningful 

78. Land should be handed over to the Tillers, for effective husbanding, and effect increase in Farm Outputs

79. A Special Scheme – Land for the Tillers must be launched, and the Tillers must be declared the legal owners of the lands they cultivate.  Eviction of Tillers must be prohibited

80. All absentee land-ownership, and binami land holdings must be abolished.  Therefore, all Land Transfers must be banned for at least five years

81. Those on whose name Land is Registered, or in whose name the land is held, be allowed to cultivate, reap the harvest, and take the produce for their own use, and as their own

 

XVIII. IRRIGATION AND OTHER FACILITIES FOR SC&ST FARMERS

 

82. Appropriate Irrigation Facilities to SC&ST Lands must be provided, at the earliest

83. Electric Connections must be provided to SC&ST Farmers, on a close Time-Bound Programme, particularly in areas where Free-Power is given for Agriculture, or at Concessional Rates, or as a Priority Sector

84. Quality Seeds and Fertilisers must be given to SC&ST Farmers, first

85. Govt and Bank Loans must reach SC&ST Agricultural Workers on priority, before anyone else

86. Ware-Housing Facilities must be created near SC&ST Colonies, to stock their produce  

87. Cold Storage Facilities for Fishermen etc must be established, wherever necessary

88. Govt must Procure Grains, first from SC&ST Dalit Farmers, before accepting the grains of others

 

XIX.    ECONOMIC PROGRAMMES

 

89. Special Economic Programmes for SCs&STs, other than those to only Below Poverty Lines, or Double the Poverty Lines, must be launched at the earliest  

90. Programmes for SCs&STs must move out of the present rural based Traditional Programmes of Poultry, Piggery, Sheep rearing, Milch Cows, Diary, Bee Keeping, Papad/ Pickle/ Jam Making etc

91. SCs&STs must be Encouraged and Permitted to Organise their own Special Exclusive Co-operatives etc 

92. Like Tax Exemption to New Industries and Industries in Backward Regions, SC&ST Dalits should be exempted from Income Tax, Service Tax etc

93. Special Programmes for SCs&STs, like High End Vegetable Cultivation, Floriculture, Horticulture, Orchards, Orchids

94. SCs&STs must be given Agencies for Fertilisers, Drugs, Chemicals, Petrol, Gas, Kerosene,Textiles, Watches, Vehicles etc etc

95. Special Schemes for Developing exclusive SC&ST Industrial Estates, Small Scale Industries, Medium Scale Industries and Large Scale Industries must be launched at the earliest 

 

XX. NGOs

 

96. SCs&STs must be encouraged and helped to organise Professional NGOs in different parts of the Country.  Today, many NGOs by the Dominant Castes are sprouting all over the Country.  Working for and in the name of SC&ST Dalits, has become a big business today.  There is lot of money, power, position, recognition, prestige and comfort in it.  Hence, lots of NGOs are now being registered by many only for this purpose, and make a living.  And there is a big unholy alliance between the NGOs, Govt Officials and Politicians to cheat and exploit both the Govts, Aid-Agencies, and also the SC&ST Dalits.  Hence, very often the NGOs themselves have become oppressive, and a big burden on SC&ST Dalits in the Country

97. Existing NGOs must be compelled to include SCs&STs, preferably activist SC&ST Academicians and committed retired SC&ST Officials, on their Governing Bodies etc, if they are to continue receive Govt Funds, or be allowed to receive Foreign Fundings, to Work for SC&ST Dalits

 

XXI.    SC&ST COMMISSIONS

 

98. SC&ST Commissions in the States and Union Territories, as well as the National Commission, should bring out suitable Compilations every year, listing out all the Complaints, Representations and Memorandums received by them from SCs&STs, indicating those cases that had been solved in favour of the SCs&STs.  This will really and fully help the general Academicians, Activists, Govt and Public to know, or study the extent and type of Sufferings of SCs&STs in the Country, and the efficacy of the Commission   

99. The National Commission on SCs&STs must bring out, Appropriate Volumes and Writings, on the Problems of Exploitations and Sufferings of SCs&STs, as well as the Policy and Need for Reservations etc  

100.  The Need for Developing the SCs&STs in the Country at the earliest, to erase the National Shame, and wipe out the continuing Discriminations to end the sufferings of SCs&STs, and build a just and civilised Nation, must be highlighted appropriately by the Govt

 

 

OUR GENERAL DEMANDS

 

1.     Education of all

2.     Employment for everyone

3.     Equal Treatments to all the Minorities

4.     Equal Wages to all Workers, Employees and Officials

5.     Programmes for Weaker Sections, Workers and Women

6.     Immediate winding up of the entire Ministry of dis-Investment

7.     Creation of a new Ministry of Social and Economic Reconstruction

8.     Enquiry into all attacks on Minorities, Churches, Nuns and Missionaries

9.     Moratorium on Persecution of all SC&ST Officials Employees and workers

10. Public Enquiry Commission of all dis-Investments, Sale of PSUs and Govt Units

11. Rehabilitation of all SC&ST Dalits and Minorities thrown out of Service/ Employment

  1. Comprehensive Enquiry into all Gujarat Killings, and Publication of names of all those burnt and killed in each attack

 

 

B. SHORT NOTE TO MOBILISE SC&ST DALITS

 

 

1.     Select numbers of well Educated SC&ST Dalit Officials, Academicians and seasoned Activists, known over the years for their Commitment and Work, can be invited for an afternoon of short Discussions on Development of a Range of SC&ST Dalit Communities, and evening Tea, by the Party President, on Baba Saheb Dr BR Ambedkar’s Birth Anniversary – 14th of April, every Year 

 

2.     Similar Meetings can be organised at the State and District Levels, by the State and District Party Presidents in different parts of the State/Union Territory on days from 15 days before and up to 15 days after Baba Saheb Dr BR Ambedkar’s Birth Anniversary – 14th of April, every Year

 

3.     The Meetings or Get-Togethers should not be allowed to degenerate into a formality, like the Iftar Parties, that had all lost their purpose, and had become meaningless – except serve as a Political Show.

 

4.     The Invitees may be asked to come with Short Notes or Papers listing out the overall Development of SC&ST Dalit Communities in General, or of specific SC/ST Dalit Communities in Particular Regions.  They should also be encouraged to come up with specific Case Reports on the SC/ST Dalit Community Development, or analytical Studies of Development Programmes that had failed, to learn from them and take precautions while formulating any Special Development Programme for any SC/ST Dalit Community in any Region of any State at anytime.

 

5.     The Party, right from the Block, District and State Levels to the All India Level, can be encouraged to organise Workshops and Study Groups, to discuss such Case Studies and Reports on successful cases

 

  1. From the Block, District and State Levels to the All India Level, local area specific Development Models must be brought out

 

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