Ensure SC/ST representation in senior positions: Panel to Govt

Observing that SC/ST officers were not represented in senior positions in Ministries and public sector firms due to existing policies, a Parliamentary panel today asked government to ensure that their adequate presence is ensured there.
In a report on reservation and employment of SC/STs in Ordnance Factory Board, the Committee on Welfare of SC/STs said, "We are of strong view that SC/ST officers are not represented in senior positions of various ministries, banks and PSUs because of government policies pertaining to the appointments to these posts."
The Committee, headed by Gobind Chandra Naskar, said "it is a challenging problem which needs to be seriously addressed by the Government because every department, PSU and bank examined by the committee so far are facing the same problem and are furnishing the same reply."

It said the committee strongly recommends that to have adequate representation of SC/STs in senior positions in government and PSUs including the OFB, "the government, if necessary, should bring in suitable legislation in this regard."
The panel asked the Defence Ministry to put out a draft legislation on policies governing appointments to board-level posts so that adequate number of officers from SC/ST category is represented in board of the OFB also.
It said that because of "bad ACRs, discrimination, bipartisan attitude, victimisation, harassment, disciplinary proceedings, flouting of extant rules etc spoils the career progressions of SC/STs."
"If at the crucial stage of their career, if SC/ST officers are superseded, then their prospect of attaining higher posts becomes very bleak," the report said.

The Committee also observed that there were reports of people providing false caste certificates to get jobs in the OFB.