Karnatak

ST benefits: Pratap Simha hits out at officials for ‘confusion’

Mysuru MP Pratap Simha has hit out at the officials of Social Welfare Department in the State for creating confusion over the issue of extending Scheduled Tribe benefits to Talawara and Parivara communities.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Monday, he said officials had listed Talawara and Parivara in Category 1 even though the State government had issued a circular after the Centre cleared the inclusion of the two communities in the list of STs.

A large number of people belonging to the two communities have been denied the benefits of ST just when they needed them for securing reservation benefits in educational institutions. The members of the two communities have been denied the benefit after Principal Secretary to the Department of Social Welfare wrote a letter to the head of Atal Janasnehi Kendra, Mr. Simha said.

He also criticised the “unnecessary confusion” sought to be created by certain organisations in North Karnataka districts of Kalaburagi and Vijayapura that submitted memoranda opposing the inclusion of the two communities in the list of STs. He said the efforts were “politically motivated”.

Mr. Simha said he had already brought the matter to the notice of Minister for Social Welfare Govind Karjol and would appeal to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to immediately intervene in the matter and ensure that the two communities were given the benefits they deserved.

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