New Delhi, October 7 (Daily Kiran) : The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has intervened to ensure that the Ministry of Finance’s Department of Financial Services (DFS) implements mandatory reporting for Scheduled Caste (SC) beneficiaries in significant government schemes. This directive follows a letter from NCSC Secretary Vivek Kumar Devangan, dated September 24, 2026, which highlighted the lack of data on SC families receiving assistance from these programs.
The schemes in question include the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Stand-Up India, the Pradhan Mantri Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), PM Street Vendor’s Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PM Svanidhi), CGTMSE, and MSME Business Loans. The NCSC pointed out that the absence of such data hampers its ability to fulfill its constitutional mandate under Article 338(5)(c), which requires the commission to evaluate the social and economic development of Scheduled Castes.
In response to the NCSC’s concerns, the DFS issued instructions on October 5, 2026, to all State Level Bankers’ Committees (SLBCs) and Union Territory Level Bankers’ Committees (UTLBCs). The department mandated that regular review meetings include detailed reports on the number and percentage of SC beneficiaries receiving assistance under the aforementioned schemes.
Additionally, the DFS has requested that this information be shared regularly with the NCSC. All relevant officials are required to submit a report by October 9, 2026, detailing the availability of data and any challenges faced in its collection. This intervention by the NCSC is expected to facilitate a more systematic assessment and monitoring of government assistance reaching SC beneficiaries through key financial programs.
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