The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has formed a Committee of Secretaries to look into the concerns raised by Scheduled Castes communities, such as the Madigas, who feel they are not receiving their fair share of benefits. The committee will be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary and includes Secretaries from various ministries.
The first meeting of the committee is scheduled for January 23, and it will be supported by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. The government has received requests from states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka to sub-categorize Scheduled Castes, including the Madiga community, due to unequal distribution of reservation benefits and welfare schemes.
The matter is currently being considered by a 7-judge bench of the Supreme Court in Civil Appeal No. 2317 of 2011. In light of this, the Committee of Secretaries has been formed to explore administrative measures to protect the interests of the Madiga and other similar communities. The committee comprises Secretaries from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Department of Legal Affairs, and Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.
