Odisha Gears Up to Host National SC, ST Parliamentary Committee Conference After 30 Years

Bhubaneswar: For the first time in three decades, Odisha will host a national conference of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Parliamentary Committee, beginning on Thursday. The two-day event, slated for August 29 and 30, is expected to draw more than 240 delegates from across the country.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will inaugurate the conference at the Lok Seva Bhawan Convention Hall in Bhubaneswar. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Governor Raghubar Das, Union Ministers, and several state ministers will also attend the opening session.

The meeting will see the participation of 30 members of the Parliamentary Committee on the Welfare of SCs and STs. This year’s theme — “The Role of Parliamentary Committees in Tribal Development” — will guide discussions on constitutional safeguards for Scheduled Tribes and state-level measures for tribal welfare.

Alongside the deliberations, the state government will showcase Odisha’s vibrant art, handicrafts, handlooms, and cultural heritage through exhibitions and performances. Delegates will also be taken on visits to the Sun Temple at Konark and the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.

A preparatory meeting chaired by the Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly was held on Wednesday to review arrangements ahead of the high-profile event.