Bhubaneswar Hosts National Conference on SC/ST Welfare Committees

Bhubaneswar: A two-day national conference of Chairpersons of Committees on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes of Parliament and state assemblies began in Bhubaneswar on Friday, with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla formally inaugurating the event.

The conference is being held in Odisha for the first time and has drawn around 120 delegates, including chairpersons and members of such committees from Parliament and 19 state assemblies.

Union Ministers Jual Oram and Dharmendra Pradhan, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, and SC/ST Welfare Committee Chairperson Faggan Singh Kulaste were present during the inaugural session.

With the theme “Role of Parliamentary and Legislature Committees on Welfare, Development and Empowerment of SCs and STs”, the discussions will focus on strengthening constitutional safeguards, improving socio-economic opportunities, and sharing best practices to empower Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The role of committees in ensuring accountability in the implementation of welfare policies will also be a key point of deliberation, aligned with the vision of an inclusive Viksit Bharat by 2047.

As part of the inaugural programme, Birla also opened an exhibition showcasing Odisha’s legislative journey, reflecting the state’s democratic and cultural legacy.

The conference will conclude on August 30 with a valedictory address by Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati.