Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has provided ₹20.34 crore in compensation to 2,116 victims of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) atrocities between June and now, Minister for ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare, Nityananda Gond, informed the Assembly on Friday.
Responding to a query raised by Congress MLA Sofia Firdous, Minister Gond stated that the compensation was disbursed in accordance with the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995. He highlighted the role of the ‘SAACAR’ online portal (Single Window Application Atrocity Compensation Assistance & Relief), which was launched in October 2020, in ensuring timely and transparent assistance to victims.
The portal streamlines the investigation process and guarantees that compensation is paid directly to the victims’ bank accounts within 21 days of registering the case. Officials confirmed that all cases are now registered directly on the SAACAR portal, eliminating delays and ensuring accountability.
Bolangir district recorded the highest number of beneficiaries, with 281 victims receiving compensation. Other districts with significant numbers include Jajpur (211), Puri (207), Cuttack (202), Dhenkanal (130), Ganjam (129), and Bargarh (107). However, no victims from Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts received compensation during this period.
