Social Justice and Empowerment: Steps and Schemes

Social Justice and Empowerment: Steps and Schemes

Question: Social justice is the aim of good governance. Discuss the various schemes and steps taken by GoI for social justice and empowerment in recent times.

• PM’s Mann Ki Baat programme was followed by a national toll-free helpline for preventing alcoholism and drug abuse

• A Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Caste Entrepreneurs was created to promote entrepreneurship among SC and provide concessional finance to them. Scheme is to be implemented by IFCI for whom INR 200 crore has been released

• Credit Enhancement Guarantee Scheme for the Scheduled Castes promotes entrepreneurship among the SC and facilitates concessional finance for them. Allocated budget of INR 200 crore has been released to IFCI for this

• Swachhta Udyami Yojana which is an integral part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has been launched to provide financing for viable community toilet projects and sanitation related vehicles for collecting garbage

• Commercial Motor Driving Training and Self Defence Skills for Women is for the economic and social empowerment of women belonging to the section of safari karamcharis, their dependents and scavengers

• Green Business Scheme is started by NSFDC and NSKFD to promote cultivation for supporting sustainable livelihood of scheduled castes and safai karamcharis. Financial assistance for economic activities to address challenges of climate change are in place. Financial assistance will be provided for economic activities to combat climate change

• Sanitary Mart Scheme launched in 2014-2015 provides scheme loans of INR 15 lakh to safari karamcharis for constructing toilets/biodegradable toilets

• National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic tribes became functional through appointment of chairman and member

• PoA rules were amended for enhancing relief amount to atrocity victims between INR 75,000 and 7,50,000 based on the nature of the offence

• India is also a signatory to the Proclamation on Full Participation and Equality of People with Disabilities in the Asian and Pacific Region and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Facts and Stats

• Ministry of welfare was divided into the Department of Women and Child Development and Department of Welfare in 1985-1986

• Ministry’s name was changed to Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 1998 and a separate ministry of tribal affairs was carved out of the Tribal Development division in 1999

• Presently, there are two departments under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment namely:

- Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (Samajik Nyaya aur Adhikarita Vibhag)

- Department of Disability Affairs (Nishaktata Karya Vibhag)