Hindustan Times

New Delhi:THE DELHI Cabinet today approved the setting up of a state-level Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission. It will be in position by August 2001.

The commission will have three members of the rank of Principal Secretary. The chairperson will be equal in rank to the Chief Secretary of Delhi. The Secretary of the commission will be equal to the Secretary, Government of India. The Cabinet stated that over the years, the Delhi Government and the Central Government have implemented several schemes for socio-economic development of the SC/ST segment, but results have been far from satisfactory.

Though the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is headquartered in the Capital, its field of operation is so large that it is able to take up only a few cases. The new commission will have the power to summon senior officials, pass strictures against them and work on the pattern of the National Commission.