Backward Classes Welfare Initiatives

The Backward Classes Welfare Department, a Department under the Govt. of West Bengal is working towards sustainable development of the persons belonging to the Schedules Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes of West Bengal. The main aim of the Department is to improve the quality of life of these socially and economically backward classes and enhancement of capability of the people belonging to these communities, so that they can be very much part & parcel of the mainstream of the Society.

Citizen Centric Activities

• Issuance of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes  certificates to the eligible persons.
• Implementation of the provisions of the Constitution of India concerning  the Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes
• Implementation of the Scheduled Tribes & Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 with a view to recognizing & vesting the Forest Rights and  occupation of forest land on Scheduled Tribes & Other Traditional Forest Dwellers
• Grant of Old Age Pension to the Tribal people living below poverty line
• Construction, administration and maintenance of various types of hostels for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes boys / girls separately including grants for  maintenance of school attached hostels.
• Various types of  Pre-Matric and Post -Matric scholarships, Merit assistances, Hostel Charges are paid to the poor students belong to Scheduled Castes , Scheduled Tribes and Other  Backward Classes every year. Moreover Special Scholarship  and one time Annual Grant are  paid to the  students whose parents are engaged in unclean occupation for spreading of their education from primary to higher level, Sikshashree V to VIII.
• Family Oriented Economic Development Schemes and Income Generation Schemes  for the development of poor Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes people.

Developmental Activities

1. The Infrastructural Development programmes under Special Central Assistance  to Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan are running in Scheduled Castes concentrated Mouzas of 10 Blocks
2. 11Ashram Hostels attached to Primary Schools and 10  Ashram Hostels attached to Secondary Schools are  running in the District. Moreover 69  school (Secondary) attached hostels are running in the district. 
3. Two Central Hostel for Scheduled Tribe Girls students at Suri and Nalhati are running for their education at Secondary and Higher level.
4. Schemes like Mahila Samriddhi Yojana (MSY) for Sch. Caste Women, Adibasi Mahila Swasktikaran Yojana (AMSY) for ST women have been taken up to assist women belonging to backward classes to be self-dependent.

Source: http://www.birbhum.gov.in/POcDWO/POcDWO.htm