TNR News Network
Chamba
Himachal Pradesh will witness the launch of a statewide “Social Justice Yatra” from April 1, 2026, demanding a special law for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Fund. The campaign will begin in Chamba district and extend to every assembly constituency.
According to a press statement issued by the state coalition, the yatra will include a “Har Ghar Dastak” (door-to-door) campaign to raise awareness about the need for such legislation. On April 14, the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, memorandums will be submitted to the Chief Minister through concerned legislators, urging the government to fulfill its election manifesto promise and initiate the process of enacting the SC-ST Development Fund law.
The coalition highlighted that it was formed in March 2023 to pursue this demand. Since then, it has studied five years of government schemes and prepared a detailed status report. Discussions were held with the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister and the Tribal Development Minister during the monsoon session of 2023. On February 1, 2024, a delegation, backed by letters of support from over 15 MLAs, met the Chief Minister to press for action. Subsequently, on March 14, 2024, a draft bill was submitted through Bhouranj MLA Dr. Suresh Kumar. The issue was also raised again during the winter session at Tapovan on December 19, 2024.
Despite these efforts, the coalition claims that no concrete steps have been taken by the government. As a result, the movement is now being transformed into a mass campaign through the “Social Justice Yatra.”
Coalition representative Sukhdev Vishwapremi stated that the yatra will carry the slogan “One Demand, One Voice” across all constituencies, mobilizing public support to push for the enactment of the SC-ST Development Fund law.
