Commission for Scheduled Castes against diversion of funds

New Delhi, Nov 9 (UNI) The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has recommended in its first Annual Report the unspent amount for the SCs should be carried forward to the next financial year and that no diversion of funds be allowed.

The report says that Panchayat Raj institutions should be involved in supervising the functioning of fair price shops in the rural areas and in the identification of the population below the poverty line.

The Commission's report, covering activities for the financial year 2004-05, has been forwarded by the President's Secretariat to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for being laid in Parliament.

It has recommended that proper training be imparted to SC candidates to equip them for various competitive examinations, besides training facilities to SC children at Polytechnics keeping in mind the job market.

According to the report, the education sector should be given due importance by way of increased allocation of funds,timely payment of pre-matric and post-matric scholarships, better supervision and maintenance of the hostes for the SCs, incentives to arrest drop out rate among SC children, continuation of mid-day meal schemes, opening of new primary schools and ensuring quality education in these schools.

It also says educational programmes should be sensitive to the needs of girls that would help them to take their studies more seriously and enable them grow as self-confident adults.

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