Odisha to host 2-day conference of ST, SC committees from Aug 29

Bhubaneswar, Aug 28 (PTI) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will inaugurate the two-day National Conference of Chairpersons of Committees on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes here on Friday, Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy has said.

Padhy said this is the first time the conference is being held outside Delhi, and so far, around 120 delegates from states, Union Territories and Parliament have registered for participation.

"We expect attendance of around 240 delegates from different states and UTs. So far, 120 dignitaries have registered. All MLAs and MPs of the state have been invited to participate in the event," Padhy told reporters here on Thursday.

The focus of the two-day conference will be on strengthening constitutional safeguards, enhancing socio-economic development, and sharing best practices for empowering Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Padhy said.

The theme of the conference is 'Role of Parliamentary and Legislature Committees on Welfare, Development and Empowerment of SCs and STs, Padhy informed.

Apart from Birla, the event will be attended by chairpersons of various parliamentary and state legislature committees on the welfare of SCs and STs.

The Lok Sabha Speaker will also inaugurate an exhibition and release a souvenir.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union ministers Jual Oram and Dharmendra Pradhan, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh and Parliamentary Committee on Welfare of SC and ST Chairperson Faggan Singh Kulaste will also address the conference.

She informed that the first conference of the chairpersons of committees on the welfare of SCs and STs was held way back in 1976 in New Delhi.

Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati will deliver the valedictory address on August 30. PTI AAM AAM MNB