Kalyan Banerjee speaks on The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill, 2017 

FULL TRANSCRIPT

We were discussing the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill on January 3, 2018, but because of disturbances, the House was adjourned and the discussion could not continue. This matter was discussed in the Rajya Sabha and the Amendment which had been brought by Bhartruhari Mahtab was accepted by the Rajya Sabha and now the Amendment has come for our consideration. Sir, on that date I had categorically said that we welcome this Amendment. Some of the anxieties have now been taken care of by reason of the amendment which has been accepted in Rajya Sabha itself.

I will just point out one or two things. Firstly, I really appreciate the Amendment that the State Government is not bound. According to Clause B (ii), provided such consultation that is not mandatory for the State Government in respect of our policy matter, affecting socially and educationally backward classes which are included in the list of our Constitution. Basically, we wanted to say this.

And every consultation with the State Government is very meaningful consultation, not mere consultation. It should be a meaningful consultation. In that case, both the Centre and the State will help, both have obligations, either in the case of SC or ST or OBC. Those who are lagging behind, the support has to be given to them for the purpose of equality. Now, therefore, the Bill is the concern. It is a nice one. We must try to resolve their problems as quickly as possible.

The chairman of the commission is there, members are there. Since it is concerning OBCs, appropriate steps should be taken so that the vice-chairman is appointed from among the OBC categories. That would be very helpful. They are more concerned about their problems.

One thing I just want to tell the Hon. Minister is that the number of scholarships that were given to OBCs have decreased by a large number. It has to be restored. They should be given more scholarships and more benefits.

Our Hon. Chief Minister, through a letter on July 23, 2016, addressed to the Hon. Prime Minister, had pointed out the degree of decreasing scholarships – the amount and the numbers. I will be happy if the Hon. Minister kindly takes care about that.

I will be completing my speech by saying one more thing, since in the morning it was also there – regarding the judgement pronounced with respect to the Scheduled Caste matter, diluting the provision for making FIRs and not to grant anticipatory bail.

Today it has been informed by our Hon. Home Minister that the Cabinet has taken the decision to bring in the The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill, 2017. We welcome it, but I have one question. The presiding judge, who was delivering the judgement in that case, the day after he retired was appointed in the Green Tribunal. This is a matter of surprise. When vacancies for Supreme Court judges are not being filled up, when for months after months vacancies of the High Courts are not being filled up, year after year; against whom are you speaking? The judgements, not any individuals. That presiding judge was appointed overnight. If anyone does something in favour of Scheduled Castes, Schedule Tribes and OBCs, it is because they need help and assistance, and that is a constitutional goal also. Otherwise, Part IV of the Constitution of India would become meaningless.

By saying this, and other things, whatever the agonies were there on January 3, have been removed. I wish this commission should starts functioning immediately in the true spirit of the provisions of the Constitution for the betterment of the people, that is, OBCs, who deserve help and assistance either from the Central Government or from the State Governments.

With this, Sir, I conclude.

Govt initiatives to issue caste certificates to turn life around for backward classes

The State Government initiatives to issue caste certificates to, along with the projects taken up for, people from SC, ST and OBC communities have created a major change in their lives. People belonging to such communities require caste certificates to get the benefits they are entitled to.

After coming to power in 2011, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ensured that there was no politics over the issuing of caste certificates.

From calendar years 2006 to 2010, during the Left Front rule, 13,58,883 certificates were issued to the SC, ST and OBC communities. In contrast, from calendar years 2011 to 2015, 89,85,614 certificates in total were issued, which is a massive improvement.

Hence, under the Trinamool Congress Government, the numbers have improved substantially.

In 2016, till June 17, 17,275 ST people, and 1,89,282 SC and OBC people, that is, a total of 2,06,557 have already got caste certificates.

These certificates have changed their lives. The jobs of kendu leaf collectors have been assured and they are getting pension on attaining 60 years of age. If they are injured during work they are getting accident benefits. These people come from society’s poorest of the poor.

SC and ST students are given coaching free of cost in Delhi to appear for the Civil ServiceExamination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). An Eklavya model school, run by the Ramakrishna Mission, has been set up at Jhargram in the Jangalmahal region to impart education to ST students.

A senior official of the Backward Classes Welfare Department said that changes in the lives of SC, ST and OBC people that have taken place in the past five years were remarkable, with more schemes coming for them are in the future.

 

 

Adapted from an article published in Millennium Post on July 15, 2016

 

অনগ্রসর শ্রেণীর জীবনযাত্রার মান উন্নত করার জন্য জাতি শংসাপত্র চালু করার উদ্যোগ সরকারের

রাজ্য সরকারের উদ্যোগের এসসি, এসটি এবং ওবিসি লোকেদের নিয়ে তাদের জীবনে একটি বড় ধরনের পরিবর্তন আসতে চলেছে। রাজ্য সরকারের উদ্যোগে তারা এখন জাতি শংসাপত্র পেতে চলেছেন। তাদের প্রাপ্য সুযোগ সুবিধা দেওয়াই এই উদ্যোগের মূল লক্ষ্য।

২০১১ সালে ক্ষমতায় আসার পর মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় নিশ্চিত করেন যে  জাতি শংসাপত্র নিয়ে কোন রাজনীতি নয়।

২০০৬ থেকে ২০১০ সালের মধ্যে, বামফ্রন্টের রাজত্যকালে, ১৩,৫৮,৮৮৩ সার্টিফিকেট এস সি, এস টি এবং ও বি সি শ্রেণীর মধ্যে বিতরন করা হয়েছিল। তুলনায়, ২০১১ থেকে ২০১৫ সালের মধ্যে ৮৯,৮৫,৬১৪ সার্টিফিকেট বিতরন করা হয়েছে।

সুতরাং, তৃণমূল কংগ্রেস সরকারের আমলে এক বিশাল পরিবর্তন লক্ষ্য করা যায়।

২০১৬ সালের ১৭ জুন পর্যন্ত, ১৭,২৭৫জন তপশিলি উপজাতির মানুষ এবং ১৮৯,২৮২জন তপশিলি জাতি্র ও ওবিসি জাতির মানুষ, অর্থাত সব মিলিয়ে ২,০৬,৫৫৭জন, সার্টিফিকেট পেয়েছেন।

এই সার্টিফিকেট তাদের জীবনকে পুরোপুরি বদলে দিয়েছে। কেন্দু পাতা সংগ্রহকারিদের জীবিকা সুনিশ্চিত করেছে এবং এখন তাঁরা ৬০ বছর বয়সের পর থেকে পেনশন পাবেন। কাজ করতে গিয়ে যদি তারা আহত হন তাহলে তারা অ্যাক্সিডেন্ট বেনিফিটও পাবেন।

তফসিলি জাতি ও উপজাতিদের শিক্ষার্থীদের দিল্লিতে ইউনিয়ন পাবলিক সার্ভিস কমিশন কর্তৃক পরিচালিত সিভিল সার্ভিস পরীক্ষার জন্য বিনামূল্যে কোচিং দেওয়া হচ্ছে।

জঙ্গলমহলের  ঝাড়গ্রামে তফসিলি  উপজাতি ছাত্রদের শিক্ষাদান করতে রামকৃষ্ণ মিশন কর্তৃক পরিচালিত একলব্য মডেল স্কুল স্থাপন করা হয়েছে।

অনগ্রসর উন্নয়ন দপ্তরের একজন ঊর্ধ্বতন কর্মকর্তা জানান, তপশিলি জাতি, উপজাতি এবং ওবিসি মানুষের জীবনে যে গত পাঁচ বছরে অভূতপূর্ব পরিবর্তন হয়েছে এবং ভবিষ্যতেও তাদের জন্য একাধিক উন্নয়নমূলক স্কীম চালু হবে।

Sunil Kumar Mondal speaks on Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2015 | Transcript

 Full transcript

Dhanyabad, Sabadhakhyo Mahashoy, Amendment Bill  e Haryana, Karnataka ebong Dadra-Nagar-Haveli SC/ST/OBC caste er sonkha 50 theke 58 kora hoyeche. Ei jonne Kendriyo Sorkar ebong Montrike dhayabad. Kintu akta prosno ajker dineo ei somprodayke bridhi kora hochhe.

Aj ami ai onunnoto jatir protinidhi hisebe Banglar Bordhomaner sangsod hosabe ebong ei onunnoto jatir akjon protinidhi hisebe ei gonotontrer mondire apnar samne kichu bolte chai.

Ajke ei onunnoto jati bishesh kore Haryana, Karnataka ebong Odisha r bibhino jelay rehabilitation deoya ache. Kintu egulo charao onek rajyer jemon Andaman theke Paschimbongo, Bihar, Jharkhand ei jayga guloteo ebong aro onanno rajyee aro onek sangsod tader dabi noye bibhinno jati jemon Baisnab, Baul, era onek onunnoto. Eder Jodi ei onunnoto jatir modhye ontorvukto kora hoto tahole onek valo hoto.

Aj Sadhinotar 67 bochor poreo ei SC/ST/OBC somprodaye Amendment 1950 theke 2015 porjonto koto bar je er poriborton hoyeche, ta bole bojhate parbo na. Kintu ete kono upokar hoy ni. Ajo amra dekhte pai prottek barer Amendment Bill er katha bola hoy kintu ta sab pakhir moto katha. Ki unnoyon, sikhha, orthonoitik porikathamor poriborton sab eki buli. Kintu kajer kaj kichu hoy na.

Ei Bill somporke bolte chai ei onunnoto jatir unnoto korte hole sorkar ke tader Budget boraddo barate hobe. Sadhinotar poreo keno ei ontorvukti? Eta bolte hobe, age ja kaj hoyeche ta kajer kaj kichui hoy ni.

Akhono ai jati ke akta certificate er jonne pode pode ghurte hoy. Akta certificate er jonne officerder kache bare bare jete hoy. Apnar kache onurodh ei bishoy ti apni thik korun. Jara ei somprodayer protinidhi tader certificate paoyar jonne eto mehonot keno? Apnar sarkar er ki poddhoti ache er jonne? Ai Amendment Bill e ache akta certificate er jonne sei 1971 er dolil dekhate hobe. Ei bill e ache, 1950 saler dolil dekhate hobe.  

Eder bosobash korar ak khana jayga nei. Tara dolil dekhiye SC certificate pabe, er moto dukhho, er moto nirmom, er moto nishthur er kichu hote pare na. Tai apner kache amar onurodh ei jaygatake dekhun.

 Jara ontorbhukto ache tader unnoyoner jonno apni ki korchen? Ei jaygata apnake dekhte hobe, sudhu ontorbhukti ghotale hobe na. Sudhu ontorvukti ghotiye, Amendment ghotiye nam kinle hobe na. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Dindayal, onader onek kathai sunchi. Babasaheb Ambedkar er katha puron kora hok. Ambedkar je katha bolechen, Dindayal o sei katha bolechen. Eder kathar modhye farak nei. Tai apnake bolte chai, ei jayga guloke apnake tule dhorte hobe. Ei jayga gulor sothik padakhep nite hobe. Ajke amra jodi ei onunnoto jatir sottikare kichu korte chai, ta hole amader sorbo prothom chai sikhha. Amra jani je jara joto onnunoto sei jati toto osikhhito. Je deshe sikhhar ovab, shei deshe onunnoto loker bash beshi sei desh o sei desh sarbik vabe unnoti korte pare na. Etai amader desher katha. Amra tai apnake bolte chai amader grohonjoggota Budget er madhyome tule dhorte hobe. Budget er modhye tule dhore sei jayga korte hobe.

Apni sune anondo paben amra Shikhasree prokolpo suru korechi  class V theke class VIII porjonto chele-meyeder jonno. Amader mukhyomontri Mamata Banerjee sorbostorer nipirito, bonchito manusher jonne je jayga guloke toiri korchen amra takar ovabe ta bhalobhabe korte parchina. Kendriyo onudan pele amra sei jayga guloke ero egiye jete parbo.

Chai ei jatir proti somobedona. Ar tar jonne chai sottikarer sikhha. Ei sikhhake apnader tule dhorte hobe.

Aj era ration babostha theke bonchito, ajo bidyut theke bonchito, ajo era BPL theke bonchito. Sei bonchona jodi thake tahole sudhu Amendment kore apni kichu korte parben na. Sudhumatro rastaghat, ghor bari, jayga jomi esob diye sudhu hobe na.

Apnake sorbo seshe ekta kathai bolte chai, amra jodi tader ei jaygata tule dhorte pari, tahole tader jonno kichu korte parbo. Amra ajo British policy dhore achi. British ra sorbosadharoner modhe Hindu-Muslim vedaved kore 200 bochor rajotto kore geche. Er amra akhono Muchi ke? Hari ke? Dom ke? Kayostho ke? Bramhon ke? Tai niye achi.

Amra tader Bharotbasi bole mone korte pari na. Ar amra akhono jati bole porichoy di, etai amader lojja. Sei jaygatake apnake tule dhorte hobe.

Aj ei bole Sabhapoti Mahashoy ke dhanyabad janiye amar baktabbo sesh korchi.

Dhanyabad.  

 

Translation:

Thank you Deputy Speaker Sir,

I will speak on the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2015, for Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha and Dadra Nagar Haveli. I am thankful to the Government for inclusion the number of community from 50 to 58 under this Bill.

The sad part is even today, on this date we are thinking of these backward classes. As their representative from Bengal’s Bardhaman district, I stand before your Sir, in this Temple of Democracy demanding their demands and rights, through you, I am thankful for the opportunity given to me. I would like to highlight a few points on these backward communities.

Along with the states mentioned in the Bill, we should also take forward the cases of backward classes from other states like Andaman & Nicobar Islands, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and other States too. The Members from all States should come together and maybe we can add a few more such communities in this group. To mention a few from Bengal – Vaishnav and Bauls should also be included categories.

Even after 67 years of Independence, we are still doing amendments in the SC/ST/OBC categories. From 1950 to 2015 a number of Amendments have been done in this Bill but to what effect I would like to know. Despite several Amendments the same topic of development, education, social and economic upliftment are mentioned again and again without any effect. That is why I want to say, if you are really interested in progress of this community, you have to increase the budgetary allocations.

Even after so many years of Independence, why this inclusion still now? This itself is the prove that this community faces hardship in day to day life so much so even for a certificate, they have to go from door to door. Even if you are an Adivasi, you still have to go to an officer at least 10 to 15 times.

This is to request the Minister to solve this basic issue first. Why so much of hardship in getting such a certificate despite being the representative of the said community? What steps is the Government taking to solve this issue?  One is required to show various documents to prove his case, but the persons who do not have proper homes to live how it is expected they will have documents? This is very sad.

Only inclusions will not serve the purpose. Those communities already included should get the facilities and needs for their development should be taken care.

Let’s not take names of Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Dindayal Upadhaya. They have said the same thing but the Government needs to act.

The first step towards the development of this community should be education. It is proven for all round development education is needed. To encourage education Bengal’s Chief Minister has started ‘Shikhyashree’ for students between classes V to VIII. The scheme is for the poor and backward students. She is creating schemes but the Central Government is not giving us enough money. We need more central funds to carry out these developmental works.

These communities are deprived from ration, electricity, BPL. If these are not taken care no matter how many Amendments you do this will not help the communities.

This caste division, started by the British now should end and we should be proud to be Indians instead to being labelled as people from backward communities.

Inclusive growth – Bengal leads the way

‘Growth for all’ is the mantra of the WB Government under CM Ms Mamata Banerjee.  The State’s economy has seen a turnaround in the last 3 years.

While the State’s GSDP has been growing at a much higher pace than the national GDP and the state revenues have grown historically by more than 85% in just 3 years, it is also the backward class which has perceived the growth. It is only when the backward class, economically and socially challenged sections are given the benefits of the growth, development becomes inclusive and holistic.

Development of the backward class and the socially challenged class has received a huge boost under the government led by Mamata Banerjee, as shown in the charts below:

Planned Expenditure:

The planned expenditure has grown from Rs 391.85 crore to Rs 610.85 crore, in the last 3 years under Trinamool’s rule compared to the last 3 years of Left regime.

 

backward class  development 1

 

Building of Hostels:

The annual average of building hostels from State Fund for backward class in the last 3 years has increased to 183 from 117.5 (during the last 3 years of CPM rule).

While on an annual average 5 hostels were built from central grants from 2009-10 to 2011-12, the average was 12.3 hostels in the last 3 years. The annual average expenditure grew by 73% from Rs 57.2 crore (2009-10 to 2011-12) to Rs 99.97 crore (2011-12 to 2013-14).

 

backward class  development 2

 

backward class dev 3

 

Scholarship and Caste Certificate:

In the last 3 years Trinamool Government has given scholarships to more than 31.45 lakh students compared to 8.92 lakh in the last 2 years of Left Front.

In terms of empowering backward classes with distributing the caste certificate West Bengal under TMC has outperformed Left’s regime. Caste certificates were given to 23.22 lakh people in the last 3 years compared to 7.56 lakh in the last 2 years of Left rule.

 

backward class dev 4

 

Distribution of Cycle:

In the last 3 years WB government under TMC has distributedcycles  to more than 1.15 lakh students with an average of 38,861 cycles per year, while in the last year of Left rule the number was only 9,418 cycles.

 

 

backward class dev 5 new edited