March 13, 2020
Pratima Mondal speaks on the Demand for Grants on Social Justice and Empowerment for 2020-21
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Madam, I rise to speak on the Demand for Grants on Social Justice and Empowerment for the year 2020-21.
Social Justice is a concept of society in which every human being is treated justly without discrimination based on financial status, race, gender, ethnicity and specially caste in the country. Eradication of these discriminations must be accompanied with empowerment which will ensure a healthy society. Need of the hour is to turn this mere concept into a reality. It will be unfair to say that proper steps are not being taken by the Government, but they are not sufficient. Innumerable schemes being formed on paper are not the solutions for unjust happenings in the country.
The key to the solution is proper implementation and quality preferred over quantity. Of all things so crucial for not only India but for the entire world is women participation. Until and unless little girls are educated, provided opportunities to prosper in life, social justice will never be achieved. Social justice is also incomplete till the time comes when people are identified by their contribution to the society and not their caste. Justice is nowhere near when manual scavenging is still going on. The day when ‘Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan’ will be fully accomplished, it is only then that we can say that social justice in Indian society is no longer a dream. But till then social justice and empowerment seems to be an unachievable Utopian concept. I would like to draw the attention of the House to an incident which has disturbed the entire nation, according to information forwarded by the National Dalit Movement for Justice and the International Dalit Solidarity Network to the United Nations Human Rights Commission in July 2019. While reporting crimes against dalits and adivasis are rising over the decade, there has not been an equivalent rise in the rate of disposal of cases by the police and courts under the Prevention of Atrocities Act.
Pending cases of crimes against Scheduled Castes have nearly doubled from 8,380 cases to 16,654 cases in a decade. In the case of crime against Scheduled Tribes, pending investigations have risen 55 per cent from 1,679 cases to 2,602 cases, the submission to the UN said. At the same time, it said (I quote) “Crime against SC: pending trials rose by 50 per cent over the decade from 85,264 to 1,29,831. In 2016 alone for which latest figures are available, there were 40,801 mean crimes against Dalits. They are registered under The Prevention of Atrocities Act and less than 15,000 cases completed trial that year. Forget about empowerment, there is no justice even after so many crimes being in operation by the Government.”
Secondly, a survey conducted by the National Safai Karmacharis’ Finance and Development Corporation has identified 45,000manual scavengers in 170 districts across the country. The year 2019 recorded highest number of deaths in the prohibited profession of manual scavengers. There was no reported conviction under The Prohibition of Employment of Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 since its enactment. Sir, yet the allotment in this year’s Budget that is Rs 110 crores for the self employment schemes for rehabilitation of manual scavengers is equal to last year’s.
Thirdly, the Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs) are overlooked once again in this year’s Budget. The DNTs are a heterogenous group engaged in various occupations such as transport, tea making, salt trading, entertainment acrobat dancers, snake charmers, jugglers and farmers. When the problem lies at the roots, they are not even accounted for in the Census. The development of DNTs across six years shows a slow growth while the Budget slightly increased in 2018-19 from 6 to 10 crores, it has been stagnant since then. It is significant to note that the actual expenditure for each year has been below the budgetary allocation, showing the inability of DNTs to avail of funds and resources meant for them. Most of them are accounted for as STs and SCs but getting a certificate for the same is very difficult as they ask for proof from 1950s. I would like to request the Honorable Minister through you Sir to look into the issue so that they have an estimated population of 10% of the total population of India. From Renke Commission to Idate Commission, there has been no improvement of the situation of the DNTs.
Fourthly Sir, the tribal communities remain vulnerable to displacement because of mining, dams and other large infrastructure projects. Distressing incidents of bonded labour also came up in 2019: a man named Kashi was rescued along with 27 including 10 children. They belong to Irula community, a particularly vulnerable tribal group. Due to their unbearably poor condition, they had to borrow petty amounts and nonpayment led to this condition. This is nothing less than slavery. Kashi’s state was brought to the notice of authority by the Release Bonded Labour Association, but none of the culprits was booked under the Bonded Labour System Abolition Act, 1973. The very next day, the rescued group was threatened to join back. This is not the nation we are trying to build. Several loopholes in the system not only favour the offenders but also provoke them to commit even more severe crimes.
Fifthly, the Union Government allocation for the inclusion of persons with disability to the department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities remains 0.04% of total expenditures of the Government during the last 3 financial years. The budget document reveals that allocation for Institution for Sign Language, Institution for Research and Technology for Persons with Disabilities, assistive devices both ADIP and ALIMCO has been reduced. No mention or provision for enhancing services in rural areas. There is only a marginal increment to RCI which is responsible for producing the pool of experts to work with persons with disabilities. The expansion of quality of rehabilitation and rehabilitation services in rural areas will never see the light of day. With this marginal increase of 0.50 crores, neither the government will live up to the expectation of the persons with disabilities nor the obligation to consider the recommendation of the CRPD committee that was released in September 2019 was fulfilled. The gaps identified by the NSSO survey list in December 2019 are also ignored.
Now coming to the immediate step the government should be taking immediately: overall the demand for the department of empowerment of persons with disabilities should be increased.
No.2, Centre’s contribution to disability person’s pension must be increased. It continues to remain at a sum Rs 300 for the past several years whereas the government of West Bengal led by Madam Honourable Chief Minister Mamata Bandhopadhyay provides assistance of Rs 1000 per month through Manobik Scheme and disability certificates are distributed by organising medical camps.
No 3 Sir, The National University of Rehabilitation Science and Disability Studies announced in 2015 and the National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation promised in 2015 are yet to see the light of day and demand allocation. More fund is to be allocated for proper implementation of mental healthcare in 2017 as the suicide rate in India are continuously rising. More funds and impetus for the field of rare disease is required immediately. It is also necessary to ensure that the schemes and programmes are being implemented properly. Government must also fill up backlog vacancies amounting to 7,782 for SCs and 6,955 for STs and 10,859 for OBCs in six departments. Information for other departments are not even available. I would like to conclude by saying that raising walls to hide poverty and pouring water into the river Yamuna for welcoming the dignitaries is a petty and temporary solution. It is equivalent to mocking the people of our country. Small steps will give permanent solution and must be opted by the government. It is also the responsibility for the fellow citizens to discharge their duties and act humanely.
Thank you Sir for giving me the time to conclude my speech.
