Odisha to Host National SC-ST Parliamentary Conference After Three Decades

Bhubaneswar: Odisha will host a two-day national conference of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Parliamentary Committee from August 29, marking the first time since 1994 that the state is organizing a meeting of a Parliamentary Committee.

The event, to be held at the Lok Seva Bhawan Convention Hall, will bring together 30 members of the Parliamentary Committee on the Welfare of SCs and STs. More than 240 delegates from across India are expected to attend.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will inaugurate the conference in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Governor Raghubar Das, Union Ministers, and state ministers. The theme of the sessions will be “The Role of Parliamentary Committees in Tribal Development.” Deliberations will focus on constitutional safeguards for Scheduled Tribes and developmental measures adopted by states.

Alongside discussions, Odisha will showcase its cultural heritage through exhibitions of handicrafts, handlooms, and art, as well as cultural programmes. Delegates will also visit the Sun Temple at Konark and the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.