Consider job reservation for Scheduled Castes in private sector: Panel

National Commission for Scheduled Castes on Thursday suggested job reservation in private sector for scheduled caste people as the employment opportunities in public sector were dwindling.

"There is no statutory provision for job reservation in private sector. But there is a need for that as public sector is shrinking and private sector has a great role to play in coming days," Commission Chairman PL Punia told reporters.

Punia, who was here for the Commission's sitting, said a number of SC people were working in the private sector and the panel was getting lots of requests for implementing reservation in the sector.

The panel also suggested the government to consider job reseravtion for SC teachers in aided schools. Expressing concern over increasing atrocities against the community members, the panel said low conviction rate in such cases was also a matter of worry in the state.

The atrocity cases reported against scheduled caste people in the state was 1,385 in 2012 but it had risen to 1,589 so far this year, he said. The conviction rate in such cases was a mere 1.7 per cent in the state, he said, adding that there was also a lot of dely in the disposal of such cases.

To check violence against SC members, he said vigilance and monitoring committees should be covened regularly under the chairmanship of Chief Minister. The panel also urged the authorities to improve the facilities at the SC students hostels in the state and increase financial assitance to them.