Cong to accord priority for ST welfare

The priority for the Congress in Puducherry if voted to power would be to ameliorate the lot of Scheduled Tribes, union minister and Congress nominee for the May 13 Lok Sabha poll V Narayanasamy said here today.     

Addressing a meeting of STs at the central campaign committee of DPA, in which Congress is a major ally, he said he would take steps if elected to ensure that STs here were accorded constitutional recognition,which had been a stumbling block in them getting reservation in employment and education.    

He said his first job as a representative would be to press for one per cent reservation quota, a demand already made.     
He said AICC leader Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul had been identifying themselves with STs, as seen in their meetings with them in many States.    

Social Welfare Minister M Kandasamy said the government had earmarked Rs 283.33 crore to implement the special component plan for welfare of the downtrodden under the annual plan. Scheduled Castes constituted 16 per cent of the total population. The government would also address the grievances of the Scheduled tribes.     

PPCC leader A V Subramanian appealed to the government to construct houses and hand them over to STs. There should be no distribution of money to beneficiaries under rehabilitation of Tsunami hit families.