Ahead of UP polls in 2017, govt is all out to woo dalits

Eyeing the 2017 Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP-led Central government is making attempts to win over the state’s dalit community in the state. An official panel has made a strong case for induction of dalits in key positions in public sector undertakings. The panel has also sought land be given to the landless along SC/ST people.

The high-level government panel, in its recommendations, called for appointing more from the SC/ST communities to top posts in PSUs, distribution of land among homeless dalits and their “hand-holding” by banks to promote entrepreneurship.

The panel was set up to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar.

The government appears to have gone on an overdrive to implement the recommendations, and asked the ministry of human resources development to encourage admission of students from the SC/ST communities to private universities.