18.

Explain the role of state's initiatives to address caste and tribe discrimination.

Role of state's initiatives to address caste and tribe discrimination:

(i) The Indian state has had special programmes for the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes since Independence. Among the most significant additions is the extension of special programmes to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) since the early 1990s.
(ii) The most important state initiative attempting to compensate for past and present caste discrimination is the one popularly known as ‘reservations’.
(iii) This initiative also involves the setting aside of some places or ‘seats’ for members of the  Scheduled Castes and Tribes in different spheres of public life. These include reservation of seats in the State and Central legislatures.
(iv) Apart from reservations, there have been a number of laws passed to end, prohibit and punish caste discrimination, specially untouchability. Ex:- Caste Disabilities Removal Act of 1850.