Gandhinagar: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani here today described protection and providing social justice to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Dalits and Oppressed by monitoring the entire vigilance machinery from the taluka to state level as his government’s first duty.

He said that in no case could the government tolerate harassment and atrocity on the oppressed. He advocated severe punishment to the guilty and justice to the victims. He asked the departments concerned and particularly district collectors and superintendents of police, to spruce up the administrative machinery and keep an eagle eye on social media.

Rupani was presiding over the State level meeting of the Social Justice & Empowerment and Tribal Development Committee. It was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Nitinbhai Patel, Leader of the Opposition in Vidhan Sabha Paresh Dhanani, Ministers Ganpatsinh Vasava, Ishwarbhai Parmar and Pradeepsinh Jadeja, MPs Vinodbhai Chavda and RamsinhRathwa, and MLAs.

He called for increasing the fines and conviction rates. Conviction rate in cases of harassment was 3.78 per cent during the last two years. It is also a social responsibility to create an atmosphere of equanimity.He said that 16 exclusive special courts have been set up in the state for fast hearing

Even as the rates of compensation to the victims have been increased, the committee was informed that Rs.33-crore assistance was extended to the victims during the last two years, including Rs.8.90-crore to tribal.

Principal Secretary for Social Justice and Empowerment Manoj Agrawal made a presentation of various agenda and activities of the department.

Those present on the occasion included Chief Secretary J.N. Singh, Director-General of Police ShivanandJha, Additional Chief Secretaries of Home and Revenue, Secretaries and senior secretaries of Tribal, Social Security and Social Welfare Departments.

– Information