Birla emphasized that parliamentary committees transcend party lines to ensure proper utilization of SC and ST welfare funds
Bhubaneswar
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday stressed the importance of youth empowerment, calling for equal opportunities to ensure their active participation in national development. He spoke at the concluding ceremony of a two-day National Conference of SC/ST Welfare Committees held in Bhubaneswar, highlighting the growing role of parliamentary and legislative committees in safeguarding democratic discourse.
Birla noted that both central and state governments have allocated funds for SC and ST welfare and that committees are crucial in ensuring proper utilisation of these resources. “Parliamentary committees rise above party lines. We are concerned about the lack of quality dialogue in state assemblies and Parliament,” he said. He suggested state assemblies form panels to monitor SC/ST welfare and ensure benefits reach target communities.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh described the conference as a “live symbol of constructive federalism,” with participants overcoming political differences to discuss welfare issues. Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhapati emphasized that SC and ST communities are integral to India’s culture and that committees must ensure schemes reach the last mile.
Union Minister Jual Oram spoke of initiatives like PM Janman and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan benefiting over five crore tribal citizens. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan highlighted that the New Education Policy is expanding access for SC/ST students. Faggan Singh Kulaste, chairperson of Parliament’s Committee on SC/ST Welfare, and Odisha government ministers were also present.
The conference focused on strengthening constitutional safeguards, assessing current policies, and developing strategies to address contemporary issues. Delegates underscored the role of committees in scrutinizing budgets and evaluating welfare schemes to ensure they effectively uplift the most vulnerable and contribute to a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047.
