Eyeing poll, Capt Amarinder Singh takes key pro-Dalit decisions

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 18

Days after the Shiromani Akali Dal announced an alliance with the BSP to target the Dalit vote bank, the Congress government in its Cabinet meeting on Friday took two crucial decisions benefitting the SCs.

The Cabinet decided to regularise the services of nearly 4,000 safai karamcharis and sewer workers on contract with various municipalities of the state, besides deciding to clear the pending SC post-matric scholarship dues of private educational institutions for the period 2017-20, benefitting nearly 2 lakh students.

The Chief Minister directed the Department of Personnel to expedite the proposal to enact a new legislation to regularise these contractual employees. The Cabinet also decided to allow the hiring of more such safai karamcharis and sewer workers on contract, as required by the municipalities. Regarding the 15,000 outsourced employees working with the Urban Local Bodies Department, the Cabinet decided to invite applications for a written test. Those who qualify would be inducted into the department through direct recruitment.

For the SC scholarships, the Cabinet decided that the government would pay 40 per cent of the Rs 200 crore arrears of educational institutions.