Lok Sabha Question No. 1795 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-27
Subject: SC/ST/OBC Welfare Association
Ministry: PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
Asked by: Alok Kumar Suman

## MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL & TRAINING)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1795

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2022)

## SC/ST/OBC WELFARE ASSOCIATION

## 1795. DR. ALOK KUMAR SUMAN:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  there is any provision  to  recognize  or  form  SC/ST  Employees  welfare Association  and  OBC  Employees  welfare  Association  in  any  particular  Ministry/ Department/ PSUs/ Autonomous organizations by the employees belonging to SCs/STs and OBCs respectively;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) if  not,  the  grievance  redressal  mechanism put in place to resolve the complaints of the employees who have been victimized on the caste or class ground in terms of promotions, transfers and postings;
- (d) the number of complaints received from the employees belonging to SCs/STs and OBCs who have faced discrimination on caste  grounds in  terms  of  promotions,  transfers  and postings in various Ministries, Departments, PSUs and Autonomous organizations under the Government during the last three years; and
- (e) the number of complaints resolved and pending as on date?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) & (b):   Recognition of Service Associations of central government employees is regulated under the Central Civil Services (Recognition of Service Association), Rules 1993, which , interalia , provide that membership of Service Associations shall be restricted to distinct category of government  servants  having  common  service  interest  and  that  such  Associations  shall  not  be formed to represent the interests, or on the basis of any caste, tribe or religious denomination or any group within or section of such caste, tribe or of religious denomination. These rules apply to Service Associations of all government servants, including civilian government servants in the Defence  Services  but  do  not  apply  to  industrial  employees  of  the  Ministry  of  Railways  and workers employed in Defence Installations of Ministry of Defence for whom separate rules of recognition exist.

(c)  to  (e):     Adequate  provisions  and  safeguards  exist  to  protect  the  interests  of  employees belonging to SCs, STs and OBCs. As per DoP&T instructions, dated 04.01.2013, each Ministry / Department  is  required  to  designate  an  officer  of  the  rank  of  Deputy  Secretary  or  above  as Liaison Officer for SCs, STs and OBCs, who ensures proper implementation of the reservation policy, conducts annual inspection of the reservation rosters and reports the cases of negligence to the Secretary/Addl. Secretary of the Ministry/Department. To deal with the grievances/matters of employees (including SC/ST employees), a mechanism of the Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) at national level, department level and office level exists which also provides a platform to  promote  harmonious  relationship  between  the  Government  and  all  its  employees.  The complaints  and  grievances  of  the  SC/ST/OBC  employees  are  required  to  be  looked  into  and resolved by the concerned Ministry/Department at their own level, as stated above.

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