Par panel flags delays, seeks urgent fixes in key social justice schemes

New Delhi, Dec 9 (PTI) A parliamentary panel has pulled up the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for delays, underutilisation of funds and slow implementation of several flagship welfare schemes meant for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and other marginalised communities.

In its 14th report tabled in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment noted that despite large budgetary allocations, crucial programmes, including for skill development, free coaching, venture capital support and construction of hostels, continue to suffer from procedural delays and poor coordination between the Centre and states.

One of the sharpest observations concerned the PM-DAKSH skill development scheme, where the committee said the ministry had "not been able to spend even a single rupee in 2024-25 till February" due to delays in empanelling training institutes.

It warned that such slackness could "defeat the purpose" of a scheme designed to improve livelihoods for SCs, OBC and other beneficiaries.

While the government said an amount of Rs 79.4 crore has since been released in 2024-25 for clearing pending bills, the committee reiterated that proposals for 2025-26 should have been sought till the merger of PM-DAKSH with the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) was formally finalised.

The panel also expressed dissatisfaction over the pace of implementation of the Free Coaching Scheme for SCs and OBC.

Only 19 of the 55 central universities have so far signed the mandatory memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with the Dr Ambedkar Foundation, it noted, urging the ministry to ensure that the remaining universities join without delay to prevent economically-disadvantaged students from losing opportunities.

On infrastructure gaps, the report highlighted severe delays in constructing hostels for OBC boys and girls. Of the 1,095 hostels sanctioned, 247 remain incomplete due to administrative and procurement hurdles. The committee said the 18-month construction deadline must be strictly enforced and asked the ministry to hold the project monitoring units accountable for delays.

It also raised concerns over the merger of PM-DAKSH with PMKVY and sought assurances that the beneficiaries slated for 2025-26 would not be affected. The panel further recommended enhanced targets under PM-DAKSH, taking note of the significant population size of the intended beneficiaries.

In the education sector, the committee observed that the annual scholarship amounts under several schemes may be insufficient given the rising education costs and urged for a revision from 2026-27 onward. It also pushed for expanding the number of slots under the National Overseas Scholarship and relaxing the income-eligibility norms to include more meritorious candidates.

Under the SHRESHTA residential schooling scheme for SC students, the committee said the fee ceilings of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.35 lakh per student are inadequate and need a revision to maintain educational standards. It also recommended prioritising student placement within their domicile states, citing socio-cultural challenges faced by children relocated far from home.

The government, in its responses, maintained that several recommendations have already been acted upon, pointing to the increased expenditure in 2024-25 under the PM-YASASVI umbrella and the ongoing evaluations ahead of the next Finance Commission cycle. It added that revised guidelines and strengthened monitoring mechanisms are under consideration across multiple schemes.

Of the 17 recommendations made in the original report, the committee noted that only 10 were fully accepted by the government, while four required reiteration due to unsatisfactory responses.

The panel directed the ministry to furnish updated action-taken notes within three months and emphasised that delays in welfare schemes directly harm the vulnerable communities that the programmes are meant to uplift. PTI UZM RC