Bhubaneswar, Aug 28 (IANS) Odisha is scheduled to host a two-day National Conference of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Parliamentary Committee on August 29 and 30.

Speaking to media persons, Speaker of Odisha Assembly, Surama Padhy, on Thursday said that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will inaugurate the conference on August 29.

Birla will also inaugurate an Exhibition and release a Souvenir on this occasion It will be attended by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Harivansh Narayan Singh, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Union Ministers Jual Oram, Dharmendra Pradhan, and over 120 delegates from across the country.

This will be the first meeting of a Parliamentary Committee in Odisha since 1994.

Chairpersons of Assembly Committees from all States and Union Territories, along with five members and four legislators from each state, will participate in the event.

In addition, 30 members of the SC and ST Development Parliamentary Committee will also attend.

The theme of the conference is “Role of Parliamentary and Legislature Committees in Welfare, Development and Empowerment of SCs and STs”.

The Conference will deliberate on strengthening constitutional safeguards, enhancing socio-economic development, and sharing best practices to empower Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

It will also highlight the pivotal role of Parliamentary and State Legislature Committees in ensuring accountability in implementation of welfare policies, with the vision of realizing an inclusive Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Governor Hari Babu Khambampati, Lok Sabha Speaker Birla, along with state ministers, will address the valedictory ceremony.

A preparatory meeting chaired by the Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly was held today to finalize arrangements.

The conference will be held at the Lok Seva Bhawan Convention Centre over two days.

Alongside the deliberations, an exhibition on Odisha’s handicrafts, artisanship, culture, and art will be organized, followed by cultural programmes. After the conference, delegates will be taken on a visit to Konark Sun Temple and will also have a darshan of Lord Jagannath in Puri.

The First Conference of Chairpersons of Committees on the Welfare of SCs and STs was held way back in 1976 in Delhi.

Thereafter, successive Conferences have been held in 1979, 1983, 1987and 2001, contributing to robust dialogue on issues related to welfare and constitutional safeguards for SCs and STs.

However, it is for the first time that such a Conference is being organised outside Delhi.

–IANS

gyan/pgh