New Delhi [India], September 27 (ANI): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday reviewed the performance of credit and other welfare schemes for Scheduled Castes (SCs) in public sector banks during a meeting on Tuesday.

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], September 4 (ANI): A team of the National Commission for Schedule Castes on Saturday, taking suo moto cognisance, visited the Pandu area of Jharkhand's Palamu where nearly 50 Dalit families were allegedly driven out forcefully by the Muslim community.

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 28 (ANI): Minorities in Pakistan's Sindh province are living in constant fear for their security and survival due to the psychological and socio-economic impact of hate speech.

Chennai Mar 26 PTI A research scholar at the IIT Madras here has accused her fellow scholar of sexually assaulting her repeatedly and also harassing her at work place along with his accomplices including two of her professors for nearly four years after she joined the institution in 2016 Reacting to the incident the premier institute said it was cooperating with the investigating authorities and that it has also extended all support to the victim during the external investigation even after her scholarship period ended Apart from the physical and mental trauma she was subjected to by the group of men at the institution and during a trip to Coorg as well the scholar was prevented from using the laboratory equipment to work on her thesis the woman claimed Police have also filed a case in the matter naming eight persons in the FIR Alarmed at the unpleasant turn of events during her academic pursuit she had remained silent initially but later overcoming her shock she summoned courage to complain to the internal Complaints Committee against Sexual Harassment CCASH which in its interim recommendation sought to restrain her three fellow scholars including the main accused - against whom she levelled her accusations - from entering the campus till she completed her work with respect to her PhD and submits her thesis Further the guides should ensure that the respondents do not submit their thesis until the scholar victim submits the committee said while postponing further investigation until she submitted her thesis Taking exception to the leniency meted out to the men who allegedly sexually physically and mentally harassed her the All India Democratic Womens Association AIDWA Tamil Nadu president S Valentina and general secretary P Suganthi who took up the girls case have sought justice to the victim and stringent action against the perpetrators The leaders claimed that the CCASH enquired and gave an interim order on October 10 2020 based on the scholars complaint on July 17 2020 They said the victim was a member of the Scheduled Castes community The full process does not seem to have been completed The police filed a FIR arranged for her deposition before a magistrate and had issued summons to the accused by mail Valentina and Suganthi said They requested the CCASH not to stop with the investigation with the interim report but proceed in a detailed manner and complete it to render justice to the victim The interim recommendation was given based on an online deposition The victim informed that the main culprit forcefully captured her photos in an objectionable manner but there was no investigation on finding the pictures despite several requests from the victim they said Hence to complete the investigation the committee should conduct the process in person as this is a serious criminal offence which can be a threat to the victim for the rest of her life the leaders added Shockingly the main accused is continuously present in the online meetings carrying out his work without any hindrance and this puts the victim in a real trauma they alleged and expressed concern that the accused may submit the synopsis and subsequent thesis and get away from the disciplinary action of IIT Madras Based on her complaint the CCASH found that her fellow scholar abused her verbally physically twice - once in the lab and during the Coorg trip prevented her from using the instruments in the lab and even reprimanded her for using chemicals He made her feel uncomfortable in the lab in the presence of co-guide who failed to warn him when the girl complained Another professor joined hands with the main accused to ensure that she does not get slot time on the instruments the CCASH found during the Google meet enquiry held on nine occasions from July 29 2020 to September 1 2020 It also found that her three fellow scholars and a professor indulged in describing the girl in a vulgar manner Besides they indulged in substance abuse it said A case was been filed by the Mylapore All Women Police in June last year following the National Commission for Womens intervention Cases were registered against eight persons The culprits have not been arrested so far Sugandhi told reporters here and demanded the probe to be transferred to the Crime Branch CID for thorough investigation and appropriate action Meanwhile in a statement IIT Madras said that it followed all processes for investigating the matter of the student who has raised the matter of sexual harassment According to the student the incidents happened in 2018 and 2019 and she brought it to the notice of the institution in August 2020 The institute immediately forwarded the matter to CCASH for investigation We are cooperating with the investigating authorities The institute has also extended all support to her during the external investigation even after her scholarship period ended it said Further the student continued to stay on the campus and the institute is extending all support required to enable her complete her degree the statement said and added we empathise with the student and will support her through this PTI JSP SA SA

New Delhi [India], March 18 (ANI): Harsh Chouhan, Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes in a dialogue program SAMVAD organized under the title "Tribal Health and Evaluation of Health Systems in Scheduled Areas" at the India Habitat Centre on March 15 and 16 said that there is a need to improve health services in tribal areas.

New Delhi [India], February 28 (ANI): The Delhi High court has issued a notice to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) on the plea moved by the Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFCL). The IRFCL has challenged the two summons issued by NCST on a complaint pertaining to service condition by an employee of the IRFCL. The commission had summoned the Chairman cum Managing Director (CMD) of IRFCL.

New Delhi Jan 19 PTI Government on Wednesday extended the tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karmacharis NCSK by three years up to March 31 2025 The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi IB Minister Anurag Thakur told reporters here The mandate of the Commission includes recommending to the central government specific programmes of action towards elimination of inequalities in status facilities and opportunities for sanitation workers The total implication of the extension for three years would be approximately Rs 4368 crore The NCSK was established in the year 1993 under the The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act 1993 initially for the period up to March 31 1997 The validity of the Act was initially extended up to March 31 2002 and thereafter up to February 29 2004 The NCSK Act ceased to have effect from February 29 2004 After that the tenure of the NCSK has been extended as a non-statutory body from time to time through resolutions The tenure of the present Commission is up to March 31 2022 The issue is very close to the heart of PM Narendra Modi We have taken several steps for it Thakur said The NCSK was made for the welfare of sanitation workers and bring policies towards tackling the challenges faced by them Modi ji has through Swacchta Abhiyan also tried to change the perception of the people towards safai karamcharis This step to extend it is another move in the direction of welfare of safai karamcharis Union minister Anurag Thakur said PTI SKC UZM RT RT

New Delhi Jan 19 PTI Government on Wednesday extended the tenure of National Commission for Safai Karmacharis by three years up to March 31 2025The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi IB Minister Anurag Thakur told reporters hereThe National Commission for Safai Karamcharis NCSK was constituted on 12th August 1994 as a statutory body by an Act of Parliament for a period of three yearsThe validity of the Act was extended up to February 2004 twice by passing amendment bills by Parliament according to the website of the CommissionSince the lapse of the The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act in 2004 the Commission has been acting as a non-statutory body of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment The tenure of the Commission was being extended from time to time through Government Resolutions The mandate of the body includes recommending to the central government specific programmes of action towards elimination of inequalities in status facilities and opportunities for sanitation workers PTI SKC RT

New Delhi [India], January 19 (ANI): The Government on Wednesday approved the extension of the tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis for three years uptill March 31, 2025.

New Delhi Dec 30 PTI The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission NCDRC will now have jurisdiction to entertain consumers complaints where the value of the goods or services exceeds Rs 2 crore as against the earlier limit of over Rs 10 crore the government said on Thursday The Centre has notified new rules to revise pecuniary jurisdiction for entertaining consumer complaints at district state and national level commissions a move aimed at fast disposal of cases According to the new rules district commissions will have jurisdiction to entertain complaints up to Rs 50 lakh worth value of goods or services as against the earlier limit of up to Rs 1 crore according to an official statement State commissions will now have jurisdictions for more than Rs 50 lakh and up to Rs 2 crore Earlier the limit for them was more than Rs 1 crore and up to Rs 10 crore National commission shall have jurisdiction to entertain complaints where the value of the goods or services paid as consideration exceeds Rs 2 crore the statement said The Centre has notified rules for the Consumer Protection Jurisdiction of the District Commission the State Commission and the National Commission Rules 2021 The revised pecuniary jurisdiction for entertaining consumer complaintsshall be up to 50 lakh for district commissions more than Rs 50 lakh to Rs 2 crore for state commissions more than Rs 2 crore for the national commission the statement said The new rules have been framed under the Consumer Protection Act 2019 which promulgates a three-tier quasi-judicial mechanism for redressal of consumer disputes namely district commissions state commissions and national commission The Act stipulates the pecuniary jurisdiction of each tier of consumer commission After the Act came into force it was observed that the existing provisions relating to pecuniary jurisdiction of consumer commissions were leading to cases which could earlier be filed in national commission to be filed in state commissions and cases which could earlier be filed in state commissions to be filed in district commissions the statement said This caused a significant increase in the workload of district commissions leading to a rise in pendency and delay in disposal of cases it added This defeated the object of securing speedy redressal to consumers as envisaged under the Act With regard to revision of pecuniary jurisdiction the Centre held wide consultation with statesUTs consumer organisations law chairs etc The Consumer Protection Act 2019 stipulates that every complaint shall be disposed of as expeditiously as possible The endeavour should be made to decide the complaint within three months from the date of receipt of notice by the opposite party where the complaint does not require analysis or testing of commodities and within five months if it requires analysis or testing of commodities The Act also provides for filing consumers complaints electronically The Centre has set up the E-Daakhil Portal which provides a hassle-free speedy and inexpensive facility to consumers to conveniently approach the relevant consumer forum dispensing the need to travel and be physically present to file their grievance The portal has many features like e-Notice case document download link and VC hearing link filing written response by the opposite party filing rejoinder by complainant and alerts via SMSe-mail Currently the facility of E-Daakhil is available in 544 consumer commissions which includes the national commission and consumer commissions in 21 states and 3 UTs So far more than 10000 cases have been filed using the E-Daakhil Portal and more than 43000 users have registered on the portal To provide a faster and amicable mode of settling consumer disputes the Act also includes a reference of consumer disputes to mediation with the consent of both parties This will not only save the time and money of the parties involved in litigating the dispute but will also aid in reducing the overall pendency of cases the statement said PTI MJH HRS hrs