New Delhi, Sep 7 : The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, will inaugurate a two-day Conference of State Welfare/Social Justice Ministers here today.

Welfare/ Social Justice Ministers of 28 States and two union territories and official representatives of other five UTs will be participating in the Conference in which policies and programme for the empowerment and welfare of the Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Persons with Disabilities, Senior Citizens and Victims of Substance (Drug) Abuse will be reviewed.

Some of the important subjects, which will be discussed in the Conference are measures to curb atrocities against weaker sections, implementation of Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan, rehabilitation of manual scavengers, Scholarship and Hostel Schemes for Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes, Amendments to Persons with Disabilities Act, Schemes in the Disability sector, and implementation of the Maintenance & Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, which Parliament had passed in December, 2007.

Streamlining of the certification procedure for Persons with Disabilities and progress of Incentive Scheme for Private Sector Employers for providing employment to Persons with Disabilities will also form part of the Conference Agenda.

While Conference of State Welfare Secretaries used to be convened annually, a Conference of State Welfare/Social Justice Ministers is being convened after a long gap, and is aimed at achieving better understanding and coordination between the Centre and the States in the area of empowerment of disadvantaged sections. (ANI)