Hyderabad: The Telangana SC/ST Commission has raised concerns over gaps in the delivery of welfare schemes and constitutional protections for Scheduled Castes, calling for stricter monitoring, better coordination among departments and time-bound action on issues affecting SC communities.
A key focus of the report was the handling of cases registered under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The commission urged police and revenue authorities to deal with victims more sensitively, ensure transparent investigations, and take prompt action. It also stressed that compensation and other statutory relief must reach victims without delay. The commission also emphasised that funds earmarked for SC/ST welfare should be utilised only for their intended purpose and that diversion or delayed utilisation of such funds must be prevented. It sought enhanced coordination between welfare departments, district administrations and police authorities in addressing grievances of SC/ST communities.
The commission recommended establishing special courts for SC/ST atrocity cases in all 33 districts, noting that inadequate court infrastructure was contributing to delays in case disposal and denying timely relief to victims.