Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Revives Vigilance Committee After 14 Years

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami convened a State Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee meeting under the SC/ST Act, the first in 14 years. He directed officials to hold bi-annual meetings and stressed speedy resolution of pending cases, better support for victims, and streamlined pension systems.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami convened a meeting of the State Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee under the Uttarakhand Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, at his residence on Saturday. Notably, this was the first such meeting in 14 years. CM Dhami instructed officials to ensure these meetings occur every six months moving forward.

During the meeting, CM Dhami emphasized the inclusion of SC and ST Commission chairpersons as special members in future sessions. He stressed the timely resolution of cases pending under the Act, advocating for regular courtroom proceedings. Dhami also directed that FIRs be filed immediately upon receipt of complaints and urged police to expedite their investigations.

The Chief Minister called for long-pending cases to be resolved in a mission mode. Speedy disbursement of permissible assistance to victims was highlighted as a priority. He instructed officials to address the issues faced by Scheduled Castes and Tribes earnestly. Additionally, Dhami advocated for the simplification of the old-age pension application process for beneficiaries turning 60, suggesting that best practices from other states be examined.

CM Dhami also directed the creation of an integrated platform to provide various SC and ST category beneficiaries with streamlined access to multiple schemes. He urged the Social Welfare and Home Departments to extensively publicize the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to increase public awareness.