The new National Commission for Backward Classes will be constituted under Article 338B and will commence functioning as a constitutional authority, in the same manner as the National Commission for Scheduled Castes under article 338 and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes under Article 338A.
The new Commission will exercise the function of hearing the complaints/grievances of socially and educationally backward classes. It will have the powers of a Civil Court for this purpose.
It will have the duty of advising of the socio economic development of the socially and educationally backward classes and evaluate the progress of their development, unlike the present Commission which does not have this role.
The Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Castes is to promote entrepreneurship amongst the Scheduled Caste and to provide concessional finance to them.
The projects/units are promoted in manufacturing and services sector ensuring asset creation. The Scheme provides higher level of loans ranging from INR 50 lakhs to 15 crores.
Till date loans amounting to INR 242.36 crores were sanctioned to 65 Scheduled Cast entrepreneurs and INR 118.99 crores has been disbursed.
Skill Training is under taken by the three corporations of the Ministry viz. National Scheduled Caste Finance and Development Corporations (NSFDC), National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC) and National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC).
During the last three years i.e. from 2014-15 to 2016-17, 2.5 lakh beneficiaries have been trained under the skill development programme of the Corporations and the Scheduled Castes Sub Plan. Out of these beneficiaries, 48.42% have got wage/self-employment.
Five places relating to Dr. Ambedkar such as Janam Bhoomi, Mhow; Shiksha Bhoomi 10, King Henry Road, London; Deeksha Bhoomi, Nagpur; Chaitya Bhoomi, Mumbai; and Parinirvan Bhoomi, 26 Alipur Road, New Delhi were declared ‘Panchtirth’ by the Government of India.
Besides this, the Dr. Ambedkar Foundation under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment had sponsored 100 students for study tour to Universities of Columbia and London School of Economics (UK) where Dr. Ambedkar studied.
The Minister informed that the Government of India declared 26th November as Constitution Day. Various programmes by Ministries/Departments/ State Government’s were organised throughout the country and Indian Mission abroad.
Department of Empowerment of PwD: Know More- Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities has created 4 Guinness World Records, during the year 2016-17, as detailed in the list below : -
- First record, created by Biggest Wheelchair Logo/Image by 1000 PwDs at Navsari, Gujarat;
- Second world record, created by fitting 1200 Hearing Aids to 600 persons within 8 hours at a single location at Navsari, Gujarat;
- Third world record, created in Gujarat by lighting most oil lamps simultaneously at a single venue by Divyangjans; and
- Fourth Guinness World Record was created when 3911 persons with hearing impairment were fitted with hearing aids in 8 hours in Manipur.
