Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday expressed shock over low conviction rate for cases of atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and said that he had written to chief ministers to enforce vigorously the provisions of the SCs & STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
?It is shocking that the conviction rate for cases of atrocities against SC-STs is less than 30%, against the average of 42% for all cognisable offences under the IPC,? Singh declared while inaugurating a conference of state ministers of welfare and social justice. He said states should conduct meetings of state and district-level vigilance committees regularly and pursue court cases on priority.
Singh used the occasion to highlight the cause of persons with disabilities. He lamented the poor response of the private sector towards employing persons with disabilities and urged the corporate sector to respond handsomely.
?Despite an incentive scheme to promote employment of persons with disabilities, it has unfortunately not made much headway in the last one-and-a-half years,? Singh said.
He declared that the government proposes to comprehensively amend the Persons with Disabilities Act in consultation with states and all stakeholders so as to bring it in line with the UN Convention. Singh stressed the need to change the general mindset towards disadvantaged groups in order to make them equal partners in the developmental processes.
Expressing his government?s concern for persons with disabilities, the PM said the National Institute of Design should be urged to encourage the design of everyday appliances that cater to people with various disabilities. Singh also urged the need to step up monitoring of schemes like NREGA, Annapurna and Old Age Pension targeting the weaker sections. ?Experience has been that weaker sections tend to be the worst affected by such natural calamities (like drought),? he pointed out.
