Dalit body puts 20-point charter of demands before parties ahead of Bihar polls

New Delhi: An umbrella body of Dalits, who constitute over 19% of the population in poll-bound Bihar, on Wednesday placed a set of demands before political parties vying for their votes, including concrete steps for their economic, educational and social empowerment besides a commitment on implementing the pending welfare proposals.

The National Confederation of Dalits and Adivasi Organisations said Dalits in Bihar continue to remain trapped in precarious situations in all walks of life, including education, employment, health and social equality. Pressing for concrete steps by any future government in Bihar to improve these sections, the confederation's chairman Ashok Bharti on Wednesday placed a 20-point agenda that the confederation wanted the political parties of Bihar to include in their respective election manifestos.

The agenda included the demand for constituting a CM-led high-power committee to frame an agenda for rapid social, educational, and economic development of SCs, STs and EBCs. elimination of discrimination in government services, guarantee of SC/ST Development Plan Act in Bihar, enactment of the Bihar Development (of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Act to ensure population proportionate non-lapsable annual financial allocation for SC/STs in state plans, launch of the Ambedkar educational inclusion scheme to bridge the educational gap/divide between SCs, STs, and other social groups, free residential education to SC/ST women besides scholarships for higher education abroad and establishment of a state-level monitoring committee to prevent atrocities against SCs/STs.

The body also sought the creation of a ₹5,000-crore SC/ST entrepreneurship fund, reform of the outsourcing policy to ensure proportional reservation for SC/STs in contracting and recruitment processes and distribution of housing sites to landless Dalits, adivasis and EBCs.