India, Sept. 1 -- The Maharashtra State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes on Saturday, August 30, directed a thorough inquiry into the functioning of four major government-supported social welfare institutions - BARTI (Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute); SARTHI (Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research, Training and Human Development Institute); MAHAJYOTI (Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Research and Training Institute); and TARATI (Tribal Research and Training Institute) - following reports of serious irregularities in their administration and implementation of schemes.

Announcing the decision, advocate Dharmapal Meshram, vice-chairman of the commission, said, "Although these institutions were established to provide ...