Lok Sabha Question No. 323 (STARRED), answered on 2020-03-17
Subject: Vigilance Committee Meetings
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: D. Ravikumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION N0.323 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.03.2020

| VIGILANCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| *323. SHRI RAVIKUMAR D:                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:                                                                                                                                                                           |
| (a) the details of the Vigilanee Committee meetings chaired by Chief Ministers as mandated under Sections 16 and 17 of the Scheduled Castes and the Seheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities (POA) Rules the last three years, State wise: during |
| (b) the details of cases referred district level vigilanee committee meetings the above period. State-wise: and during during                                                                                                                      |
| (e) the measures taken by the Government for effeetive implementation of POA Amendment Act. 2018?                                                                                                                                                  |
| ANSWER                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| MINISTER OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI THAAWARCHAND GEHLOT)                                                                                                                                                                              |
| (a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the table of the House.                                                                                                                                                                                         |

(a): Rule 16 of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) PoA} Rules 1995   provides the constitution of' State Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister: Likewise Rule 17 of the PoA Rules; 1995 provides the constitution of District level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee in each district within the State under the chairmanship of Distriet Magistrate.

meetings of the State Level Vigilance Committee for the year 2016. 2017 and 2018 held under the Chairpersonship of Chief Minister is aS under:-

| States/UTs        | Meetings of during the years   | Vigilance   | and Monitoring Committee   |
|-------------------|--------------------------------|-------------|----------------------------|
| States/UTs        | 2016                           | 2017        | 2018                       |
| Andhra Pradesh    | Nil                            | Nil         | Nil                        |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Nil                            | Nil         | Nil                        |
| Assam             | Nil                            | Nil         |                            |
| Bihar             | Nil                            | Nil         | Nil                        |
| Chhattisgarh      | Nil                            |             |                            |
| Goa               | Nil                            | Nil         | Nil                        |
| Gujarat           | Nil                            |             | 3                          |
| Haryana           | 2                              | 2           |                            |
| Himachal Pradesh  | Nil                            | Nil         | Nil                        |
| Jharkhand         | Nil                            | Nil         | Nil                        |
| Karnataka         |                                |             | Nil                        |
| Kerala            | Nil                            |             | Nil                        |
| Pradesh Madhya    | Nil                            | Nil         | Nil                        |
| Maharashtra       | Nil                            | Nil         |                            |
| Manipur           | Nil                            | Nil         | Nil                        |
| Meghalaya         | Nil                            | Nil         | Nil                        |
| Mizoram           | Nil                            | Nil         | Nil                        |
| Nagaland          | Nil                            | Nil         | Nil                        |

| Odisha                  | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
|-------------------------|-------|-------|-------|
| Punjab                  | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
| Rajasthan               | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
| Sikkim                  | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
| Tamil Nadu              | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
| Telangana               | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
| Tripura                 | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
| Uttar Pradesh           | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
| Uttarakhand             | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
| West Bengal             |       |       | 2     |
| Andaman Nicobar Islands | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
| Chandigarh              | Nil   | Nil   |       |
| Dadra & Haveli Nagar    | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
| Daman & Diu             | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
| Delhi                   | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
| Lakshadweep             | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
| Puducherry              | Nil   |       |       |

(b): Rule 17 of the PoA Rules 1995 provides the constitution of Distriet Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee in each district within the State under the chairmanship of District Magistrate for reviewing the implementation status of the PoA Act: 1989. Under the PoA Rules. 1995 the data related to cases referred District Level Vigilance Committee is not  maintained centrally. However: the details of Distriet Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee meetings. state-wise is given below: during

| States/UTs        | Meetings of District Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee held during the years   | Meetings of District Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee held during the years   | Meetings of District Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee held during the years   |
|-------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                   | 2016                                                                                  | 2017                                                                                  | 2018                                                                                  |
| Andhra Pradesh    | 27                                                                                    | 34                                                                                    | 43                                                                                    |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Nil                                                                                   | Nil                                                                                   | Nil                                                                                   |
| Assam             | Nil                                                                                   | Nil                                                                                   | Nil                                                                                   |
| Bihar             | 98                                                                                    | 103                                                                                   | 153                                                                                   |

| Chhattisgarh            | 100   | 96   | 68   |
|-------------------------|-------|------|------|
| Goa                     | 3     | 2    | 5    |
| Gujarat                 | 131   | 148  | 122  |
| Haryana                 | 46    | 52   | 45   |
| Himachal Pradesh        | 25    | 22   | 30   |
| Jharkhand               | 47    | 96   | 71   |
| Karnataka               | 95    | 110  | 90   |
| Kerala                  | 54    | 54   | 54   |
| Madhya Pradesh          | 171   | 162  | 163  |
| Maharashtra             | 404   | 374  | 404  |
| Manipur                 | Nil   | Nil  |      |
| Meghalaya               | Nil   | Nil  | Nil  |
| Mizoram                 | Nil   | Nil  | Nil  |
| Nagaland                | Nil   | Nil  | Nil  |
| Odisha                  | 48    | 37   | 31   |
| Punjab                  | 48    | 17   | 45   |
| Rajasthan               | 149   | 149  | 103  |
| Sikkim                  | Nil   | Nil  | Nil  |
| Tamil Nadu              | 53    | 86   | 118  |
| Telangana               | 15    | 33   | 57   |
| Tripura                 | 3     | Nil  | Nil  |
| Uttar Pradesh           | 147   | 120  | 155  |
| Uttarakhand             | 13    | 7    | 17   |
| West Bengal             | 40    | 43   | 47   |
| Andaman Nicobar Islands | Nil   | 3    | 2    |
| Chandigarh              | Nil   | Nil  | Nil  |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli    | Nil   | Nil  | Nil  |
| Daman & Diu             | Nil   | Nil  | Nil  |

| Delhi       | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
|-------------|-------|-------|-------|
| Lakshadweep | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |
| Puducherry  | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   |

(e): has further amended as the Seheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act. 2018. notified on 17.08.2018 and come into force on 20.08.2018 with a view to   nullify conduct  of' a preliminary enquiry before registration of an First Information Report (FIR) or t0 seek approval of any authority and t0 restore the provisions of Section 18 of the Act By the said Amendment Act; Section 18 (A) has been inserted. which read as under: been prior

"18 A. (i) For the purpose of this Act -

(a) Preliminary enquiry shall not be required for registration of a First Information Report against any person; Or

(b) The investigating officer shall not require approval for the arrest: if necessary. of any person:

against whom an accusation of committed an offence under this Act has been made and no procedure Other than that provided under this Act or the Code shall apply. having

(2 The provisions of section 438 of the Code shall not apply to a case under this Act, notwithstanding any judgment or order or direction of any Couri:

A copy of the notification has been sent to all States UTs for implementation as well as dated 10.09.2018 For  effeetive   implementation of' the PoA Act, Central assistance is provided to  States UTs  under the Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme: A Committee  under the Chairpersonship of Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment has been constituted committee has held 25 meetings in which the implementation slatus has been reviewed. Last meeting of the committee was held on 09.01.2020.