State govt forms Dalit Bandhu Welfare and Development Board

Kolkata: The state government has set up the Dalit Bandhu Welfare and Development Board for the welfare of the underprivileged community.

The 11-member board will help the state government bring the Dalit community, divided into separate groups under one umbrella and reach out to them with welfare schemes in a better manner. The secretary of the Backward Class Welfare department recently issued the official notification about the formation of the Dalit board.

The board will be chaired by Pradip Bansfore, who heads a Dalit organisation in Bengal. It will assume office on December 27. There are six social activists and five government officials in the board, including one official not below the rank of deputy secretary each from Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department, Panchayats and Rural Development department, Labour department, Backward Classes Welfare department. The member secretary of the board is additional director/ joint director, Directorate of Backward Classes Welfare and Tribal Development department.

The term of office for chairperson, vice-chairperson and all other non-officials members is five years from the date of notification or until further order, whichever is earlier, and shall automatically expire on completion of five years

According to the 2011 Census, India has around 166 million Dalits, and Bengal accounts for 10.8 per cent. The Dalit community in Bengal is divided into different groups like Matua, Rajbanshi, Bagdi and Bauri.