The Department of Financial Services (DFS) has directed State Level Bankers’ Committees (SLBCs) across the country to start reporting the number and percentage of Scheduled Caste beneficiaries under major credit-linked schemes, following an intervention by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC).In instructions issued to states, including Punjab, NCSC Secretary Vivek Kumar Dewangan had written that SLBC reports were not reflecting the share of SC families assisted under schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, Stand-Up India, PMEGP, PM SVANidhi, CGTMSE and MSME business loans.The Commission said the absence of this data was hampering its constitutional mandate under Article 338(5)(c) to evaluate the progress of socio-economic development of Scheduled Castes.Responding to the letter, the DFS on October 5 issued instructions to all SLBC and UTLBC convenors. The committees have been asked to include scheme-wise and bank-wise details of SC beneficiaries in their periodic review meetings, share the information regularly with the NCSC, and submit an action-taken report to the Department by October 9.The DFS has clarified that the reporting should be done using data already available with banks and implementing agencies so that no parallel reporting system is created. SLBCs and UTLBCs have also been told to send a further update on the action taken within 30 days.The Commission said the move would strengthen transparency and accountability in the delivery of financial inclusion benefits to Scheduled Caste communities. It has undertaken to monitor the implementation of the directions closely.