News & Announcement
Community Awareness Programme on SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act Held in Pakyong
Pakyong, March 27 (IPR):
A one-day sensitisation cum awareness programme on the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, organised by the Social Welfare Department, Pakyong District, was held at the RDD Community Complex, RURBAN Pakyong, today.
The programme aimed to create awareness about Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, sensitise stakeholders about its provisions and highlight various schemes under the Social Welfare Department.
Additional District Collector (Development), Pakyong and Chairman of the programme, Mr Robin Pd Sewa, urged panchayat members to share the information from the programme within their communities. He also highlighted the state’s declining population, the factors contributing to it, and issues related to barren lands.
He also acknowledged that past atrocities were largely attributed to a lack of education; however, he noted that the situation has improved as education and community unity have increased. He emphasised the critical role of education in preventing such atrocities.
Additional Superintendent of Police Pakyong District, Mr ML Pradhan, elaborated on the role of the police department in implementing the Atrocities Act, detailing various cases related to its provisions.
Deputy Director, Social Justice Division, Social Welfare Department, Mr Ram Kumar Tamang, elaborated on various schemes of the Social Welfare Department. He provided details on pre- and post-matric scholarships available for Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste, Other Backward Class, Minority, and Economically Backward Class students, stating that applications for these scholarships are processed through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). He also explained the registration process on NSP.
Further, he discussed ongoing efforts to address substance abuse under Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan and Nasha Mukt Sikkim, highlighting measures implemented through the Sahayogi programme, which consists of four components:
Sahayogi Karmachari- Employees in government offices guide colleagues struggling with substance abuse towards counselling and treatment.
Sahayogi Mitra – Students support their peers in resisting drug use.
Sahayogi Sarathi – Drivers assist in preventing drug trafficking.
Sahayogi Aama – Women volunteers at the community level act as vigilantes to report and prevent drug use and trafficking.
Earlier, Welfare Officer of Social Welfare Department, Mrs Sunita Dahal, provided an overview of the department’s focus areas, including intercaste marriage, its criteria and age limit, recognition and protection of transgenders, manual scavenging, and initiatives such as Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan and Nasha Mukt Sikkim. She also outlined pre and post matric scholarship schemes available for different communities under the Social Welfare Department, along with their eligibility criteria.
She urged local representatives to disseminate the information and collaborate in implementing welfare initiatives across the district. Additionally, she provided an overview of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Advocate Mr Birendra Pourali elaborated on the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, discussing its enactment, objectives, and role in safeguarding the rights of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. He outlined the communities covered under the Act and classified offences as physical, verbal, social, caste-based, economic, and political atrocities, including those related to insults and offences against women.
He explained key provisions on relief and rehabilitation for victims and stated that punishments under the Act range from six months imprisonment to life imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offence.
He also clarified that offenders under the Act are individuals from communities other than Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Further, Legal Retainer, Ms Sudha Sewa, provided information on the transgender community, covering their recognition and protection, legal rights, available benefits and opportunities, and the registered transgender population in the state.
The programme also had an open discussion where the participants raised questions and resource persons provided clarifications.
Also present were panchayat members from various wards under the district; Deputy Director Women, Child, Senior Citizen, and Person with Disabilities Welfare Department cum Social Welfare Officer, Pakyong District and staff from BAC Pakyong.
A one-day sensitisation cum awareness programme on the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, organised by the Social Welfare Department, Pakyong District, was held at the RDD Community Complex, RURBAN Pakyong, today.
The programme aimed to create awareness about Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, sensitise stakeholders about its provisions and highlight various schemes under the Social Welfare Department.
Additional District Collector (Development), Pakyong and Chairman of the programme, Mr Robin Pd Sewa, urged panchayat members to share the information from the programme within their communities. He also highlighted the state’s declining population, the factors contributing to it, and issues related to barren lands.
He also acknowledged that past atrocities were largely attributed to a lack of education; however, he noted that the situation has improved as education and community unity have increased. He emphasised the critical role of education in preventing such atrocities.
Additional Superintendent of Police Pakyong District, Mr ML Pradhan, elaborated on the role of the police department in implementing the Atrocities Act, detailing various cases related to its provisions.
Deputy Director, Social Justice Division, Social Welfare Department, Mr Ram Kumar Tamang, elaborated on various schemes of the Social Welfare Department. He provided details on pre- and post-matric scholarships available for Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste, Other Backward Class, Minority, and Economically Backward Class students, stating that applications for these scholarships are processed through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). He also explained the registration process on NSP.
Further, he discussed ongoing efforts to address substance abuse under Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan and Nasha Mukt Sikkim, highlighting measures implemented through the Sahayogi programme, which consists of four components:
Sahayogi Karmachari- Employees in government offices guide colleagues struggling with substance abuse towards counselling and treatment.
Sahayogi Mitra – Students support their peers in resisting drug use.
Sahayogi Sarathi – Drivers assist in preventing drug trafficking.
Sahayogi Aama – Women volunteers at the community level act as vigilantes to report and prevent drug use and trafficking.
Earlier, Welfare Officer of Social Welfare Department, Mrs Sunita Dahal, provided an overview of the department’s focus areas, including intercaste marriage, its criteria and age limit, recognition and protection of transgenders, manual scavenging, and initiatives such as Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan and Nasha Mukt Sikkim. She also outlined pre and post matric scholarship schemes available for different communities under the Social Welfare Department, along with their eligibility criteria.
She urged local representatives to disseminate the information and collaborate in implementing welfare initiatives across the district. Additionally, she provided an overview of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Advocate Mr Birendra Pourali elaborated on the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, discussing its enactment, objectives, and role in safeguarding the rights of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. He outlined the communities covered under the Act and classified offences as physical, verbal, social, caste-based, economic, and political atrocities, including those related to insults and offences against women.
He explained key provisions on relief and rehabilitation for victims and stated that punishments under the Act range from six months imprisonment to life imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offence.
He also clarified that offenders under the Act are individuals from communities other than Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Further, Legal Retainer, Ms Sudha Sewa, provided information on the transgender community, covering their recognition and protection, legal rights, available benefits and opportunities, and the registered transgender population in the state.
The programme also had an open discussion where the participants raised questions and resource persons provided clarifications.
Also present were panchayat members from various wards under the district; Deputy Director Women, Child, Senior Citizen, and Person with Disabilities Welfare Department cum Social Welfare Officer, Pakyong District and staff from BAC Pakyong.