Welcoming the decision to hike compensation for members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes who face atrocities, Tribal Affairs Minister V Kishore Chandra Deo today sought proper enactment of existing acts for the purpose.

Talking to newsmen in New Delhi, he said, it reflects that government is committed to the cause of people from the deprived community. Mr. Deo asserted that besides compensation, other conditions and laws like Forest Rights Act and Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Act have to be met for the betterment of tribals in the country.

AIR correspondent reports, the government yesterday decided to raise the compensation paid to people from SC and ST community for atrocities committed against them by 150 per cent.

While the previous range of compensation, which was not changed for the last 15 years, was from Rs 20,000 to Rs 2,50,000, the government decided to raise it to the scale of Rs 50,000 to Rs 5,00,000.

The relief money has been increased under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe, Prevention of Atrocities Rule which were framed by the government in December.