Union Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, today reviewed the implementation of various welfare schemes of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment in Odisha during a meeting with senior state government officials in Bhubaneswar.
Addressing the media after the review meeting, Athawale highlighted the Government of India’s commitment to the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Divyangjan and other disadvantaged sections under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He noted that India has emerged as the world’s fourth-largest economy and stressed the importance of inclusive growth and social empowerment.
The Minister reviewed the progress of scholarship schemes for SC and OBC students, implementation of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, welfare measures for Divyangjan, transgender persons and inter-caste marriage promotion schemes. He urged the State Government to ensure regular review of atrocity cases and effective implementation of reservation provisions and welfare programmes.
Shri Athawale informed that Odisha has a significant population of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs, and assured all possible support from the Central Government for pending proposals and welfare initiatives. He also appreciated the efforts being made to attract investment to Odisha and emphasised that increased industrial growth would generate employment opportunities for the youth.
The Minister also underlined the significance of Kalinga in India’s history and suggested organising national and international events to showcase Odisha’s rich heritage and its contribution to the spread of Buddhism and the message of peace.
