The untouchability (Offences) Act 1955’, was enacted to abolish Untouchability and forbide its practice in any form. This Act was amended and renamed in 1976 as the “Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955”. As the PCR Act covered offences of untouchability, but not of atrocities against members of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and the Scheduled Tribes (STs), another Act of Parliament namely the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) {PoA} Act, 1989 was enacted to prevent the commission of offences of atrocities against members of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).

For the effective implementation of these Acts, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 is in force to provide admissible Central assistance to State Governments and Union Territory Administrations towards effective implementation of the PCR Act and the PoA Act inter-alia for providing incentive for Inter-Caste marriages where one of the spouse is a member of Scheduled Caste.

The funding pattern of the Scheme is as such that total expenditure over and above the committed liability is shared on 50:50 basis between the Central Government and concerned State Government and the Union Territory Administration receives 100% Central assistance. As per the information received from the State Governments/UT Administrations, the number of couples provided incentive for inter-caste marriage under the scheme in the last three F.Y are as under:-

This information was given by the Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri A. Narayanaswamy in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

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MG/RNM