NEW DELHI, May 13 (PTI)

The National Commission to Review Working of the Constitution (NCRWC) in a consultation paper on the "Pace of Socio-Economic change under the Constitution" has said nothing much has been achieved for upliftment of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the last 51 years.

The issue of socio-economic change under the Constitution has been reflected in one of the four consultation papers, released on Saturday, for public debate by the NCRWC, which has sought public response in a month's time. "Despite manifest, avowed and determined concern of the Constitution for upliftment and welfare of the SCs and STs and Backward Classes, the objectives have not been achieved," the paper said.

"Whatever has been done in this regard has been done hesitatingly, half-heartedly and as a measure of concession forgetting that this relates to their constitutional rights and not concession to these classes", it said.

Expressing concern over the increase in number of cases of atrocities against the SCs and STs, the paper said "untouchability continue unabated even today."

Among other things the paper said allocation of funds for development and welfare of SCs and STs had shown a steady declining trend since the late eighties and the allocation did not match their development needs.