Narinder Jagga

Chandigarh:  The Punjab Government has appointed general caste officers as member secretary of the Punjab Schedule Caste Commission. In the list of 57 IAS, PCS officer’s transfer list, IAS lady officer Indu Malhotra has been transferred on the post of member secretary as well as Director of Welfare of SCs and BCs.The Punjab State Commission for Schedule Caste act (amended) says, only candidate belongs to schedule caste community can be appointed as member secretary. SCs welfare organisations have started against this appointment. Interestingly, the Minister for Welfare of schedule caste and backward classes, Sadhu Singh Dharmsot, when contacted, expressed unaware about the new appointment.

Either knowingly or unknowingly, she was transferred to this post, four days ago by the Government. This post is reserved for the SC category. According to the notification issued on September 29^th, 2006, the Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Caste (Amendment) Act, 2006 says that one member-secretary, to be appointed by the Government from amongst the retired or serving officers of IAS of PCS belonging to Scheduled Caste, not below the rank of an Additional Secretary.

 A day before, she has taken the charge and files from the office of the Punjab S.C.Commission have been sent her for formal approval.Various leaders of SC community have expressed their resentment against the decision of the Government. Parmjit Singh Kainth of SC Alliance, Karnail Singh Jeet of Ramdasia Welfare Society and other has alleged dual face of Government on the issue of SC community, where officers from general category are being appointed on reserved seats for SCs. More interesting, the website of the Punjab Government has been showing Rajesh Bagha as Chairman of the Punjab Schedule Commission, who has retired from the post in last year, shows the seriousness of the Government toward commission.

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