“NCSC” Launches Online Grievance Management Portal for Scheduled Castes

“NCSC” Launches Online Grievance Management Portal for Scheduled Castes

Union Minister for Communication & IT and Law & Justice Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad launched the “Online Grievance Management Portal of National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)”.

About the Online Grievance Management Portal

Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment launched Grievance Redressal System.

The system is based on the need for redressal of grievances related to atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).

It provides an online platform to enable citizens to lodge complaints in the social welfare department.

This will enhance the belief of the public in a functional justice delivery system which in turn would contribute to better law and order situation.

The portal would facilitate easy tracking of an individual case from the lodging of complaint to its closure.

The online portal would make the grievance redressal mechanism more transparent and accountable.

The portal was developed in collaboration with the Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics(BISAG-N), a Centre of Excellence under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY).

About the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC).

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes is an Indian constitutional body set up under Article 338 to safeguard the interests of the scheduled castes.

Constitutionally, it is vested with the responsibility to investigate and monitor all matters relating to the constitutional safeguards for the SCs and to review the legislative measures taken by the Central and State Governments for the welfare of these classes.

The first Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was set up in August 1978 with Bhola Paswan Shastri as Chairman and other four members. Members of the commission includes a chairman, a vice chairman and four other members.

What are the functions of the NCSC?

You might have already known about NCSC, but not many people know their role and the functions of a scheduled caste under the Constitution. Here are some functions mentioned below, which are performed by NCSC.

1. To investigate and monitor all matters relating to the safeguards provided for the Scheduled Castes under this Constitution or under any other law for the time being in force or under any order of the Government and to evaluate the working of such safeguards
2. To inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the Scheduled Castes
3. To participate and advise on the planning process of socio-economic development of the Scheduled Castes and to evaluate the progress of their development under the Union and any State
4. To present to the President, annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working of those safeguards
5. To make in such reports recommendations as to the measures that should be taken by the Union or any State for the effective implementation of those safeguards and other measures for the protection, welfare and socio-economic development of the Scheduled Castes
6. To discharge such other functions in relation to the protection, welfare and development and advancement of the Scheduled Castes as the President may, subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament, by rule specify.

Composition of NCSC

The National Commission for SCs consists of a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, and three other members.

At least two of these four members should be scribes from State and Territory level commissions for SCs.

They are appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal.

The President also determines their conditions of service and tenure of office.