Government proposes 40% hike in SC/ST atrocity compensation to up to Rs 12 lakh

New Delhi: The government has proposed over 40% increase in compensation for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe victims of atrocities and financial assistance to states to set up special police stations and courts to strengthen enforcement of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The ministry of social justice and empowerment has proposed increasing compensation for victims under the Act based on the rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). At present, compensation ranges from ₹85,000 to ₹8.25 lakh, depending on the nature and severity of the offence.

The minimum compensation is likely to rise to ₹1 lakh and the maximum to about ₹12 lakh, according to people aware of the proposal. The proposal has been sent to the Expenditure Finance Committee for approval. If approved, the enhancement will come after a gap of 10 years, with the last increase effected in 2016.


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The government has also proposed one-time financial assistance of ₹5 lakh to states to set up special police stations to report atrocities against SC and ST communities. Recurring expenditure will be borne by the respective state governments. The move comes amid concerns over the limited institutional infrastructure for handling atrocity cases. Though the Act provides for setting up special police stations, only seven states and Union territories have done so.

In a report tabled during the budget session, the parliamentary standing committee on social justice and empowerment expressed concern over inadequate institutional mechanisms despite the availability of central assistance and urged states to establish the requisite machinery for effective implementation of the law.

"The committee is shocked to know that even after more than three decades of enactment of PoA Act, only seven states/UTs have such police stations. The committee is of the opinion that the setting up of special police stations by the states/UTs is essential as victims first approach police station for protection at the time of atrocity and it is assumed these police stations would be able to address such situations more effectively," it said.

According to government data furnished in Parliament in response to a question, 181 special police stations are functioning across Bihar (40), Madhya Pradesh (51), Chhattisgarh (27), Jharkhand (24), Karnataka (33), Kerala (three) and Puducherry (three). The gap is particularly striking in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, which report among the highest numbers of atrocities against SCs and STs but have no dedicated special police stations for such cases.

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