New Delhi: It has been observed that people from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes have not been given the opportunity to rise up to senior or board level positions in various public sector units, a parliamentary committee has said.
The panel’s report — “Reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Central Public Sector Undertaking with special reference to Power Grid Corporation of India Limited” — was tabled in Parliament on Monday.
The panel feels that the government is “not serious” to the observations and recommendations made by it from time to time in regard to the reviewing of policy on appointments to board and management level posts in all public sector units (PSUs), including the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, the Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes said.
During the course of examination of various PSUs over the years, it has been observed that people belonging to the scheduled castes (SCs) and the scheduled tribes (STs) categories have not been given opportunities to rise up to senior or board level positions, the panel said.
“The committee feels that with a view to provide socio-economic equality as enshrined in the Constitution, the government should take affirmative action to accommodate due representatives from the SCs/STs in the board/senior level appointments,” it said.
The parliamentary panel said it would like to be apprised on the number of SC and ST candidates who have appeared for interviews for board or other senior level positions of both official and non-official directors in the past five years.
It said it would also like to know the reasons for their non selection.
The committee strongly recommended that the Department of Public Enterprises must submit a proposal to the Cabinet to amend the existing rules and regulations to facilitate appointment of people from the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes categories in the board of directors.
“The committee feels that despite measures and concessions in place for ensuring representation in promotion, the low percentage of scheduled caste employees in Group-B is a real conundrum,” the report said.
The panel said it would like to point out that while appointing liaison officers, only scheduled castes and scheduled tribes may be appointed. It goes without saying that liaison officers belonging to these categories are more sensitive and invested to look after the grievances and welfare of employees from these categories and ensure proper implementation of reservation rules.
“It has been informed that post ouster of ST (scheduled tribes) liaison officer, a general category candidate was appointed. The committee (members) are pained to note that only after the intervention of the committee at the sitting held on 21.12.2021, SC (scheduled castes) liaison officer had replaced the general one,” the report said.
