Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 319/07

CHIEF MINISTER ATTENDS CONFERENCE ON EMPOWERMENT OF DALITS AND MINORITIES IN NEW DELHI

Meghalaya Chief Minister, Dr D D Lapang today attended the inaugural function of the two day International Conference on Empowerment of SCs, STs and Minorities through Elementary Education organized by the All India Forum of Legislators, SCs and STs held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh.

Delivering his speech during the Conference, Dr. Lapang lauded the effort of the organizers who had come up with a very appropriate gesture in recognizing the immense contribution made by Late Dr. B R Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution towards safeguarding the interest of the SCs/STs by incorporating appropriate provisions in the Constitution of India.

Dr Lapang informed that Meghalaya is a State where Scheduled Tribes population constitutes more than 80 p.c. of the total population of the State, adding that the SC population is negligible, being only about 0.5 p.c. He further said that the economic, health status and social indicators, especially among tribal women living in the far flung areas of Meghalaya compared with other communities in the country is still facing problems and inadequacy in many areas, such as those being faced by other tribal groups in the country. He further informed that education being the most effective instrument for empowering the socially disadvantage groups, all effort should be made to improve the educational status of these groups. Dr. Lapang further informed that as far as Meghalaya is concerned, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has been a historic stride towards Universalization of Elementary Education in a time bound and integrated approach. He also asserted that the health and nutritional development plays a vital role in making the society achieved social empowerment, he lamented that the health status of the tribal people in Meghalaya is very low, with favorable indicators for infant mortality and maternal mortality rate, anemia especially among women and adolescent girls. He said that bringing the SC/ST and minorities to national level may take time: certain aspects of the backwardness need to be immediately set right, he added.

Dr Lapang said that though there is constitutional protection to the socially disadvantaged groups in the country, they still face discrimination in many respects. He felt that there is a need for a continued and committed effort to ensure social, educational and economic empowerment of the socially disadvantaged groups through the three pronged strategy of Social empowerment, Economic empowerment and Social Justice.

Among others who spoke at the inaugural function were the Leader of Opposition, Mr L K Advani, Deputy Speaker Lok Sabha, Mr Charnjit Singh Atwal, and Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia.