[Indian Year Book 2022-23]* Indian Year Book Notes | Chapter 15. Welfare

 

Indian Year Book

(2022-23)

Chapter – 15. Welfare

 

 

IN 1985-86, the erstwhile Ministry of Welfare was bifurcated into the Department of Women and Child Development and the Department of Welfare. Simultaneously, the Scheduled Castes Development Division, Tribal Development Division and the Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare Division were shifted from the Ministry of Home Affairs and also the Wakf Division from the Ministry of Law to form the then Ministry of Welfare.

 

Events Related to Scheduled Caste Welfare

 Celebration of Constitution Day

Ø  On August 29, 1947, the Constituent Assembly set up a Drafting Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr B.R. Ambedkar to prepare a draft Constitution for India. It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949, and came into effect on January 26, 1950.

 

Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

Ø  The Constitution contains several provisions like safeguards for the Scheduled Castes. The following two Acts specifi cally aim at curbing: (i) untouchability and (ii) atrocities against SCs and STs, and are therefore very important for the Scheduled Castes: (a) The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, and (b) The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

 

 Protection of Civil Rights

Ø  In pursuance of Article 17 of the Constitution of India, the Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955 was enacted. Subsequently, it was amended and renamed in 1976 as the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955. Rules under this Act, viz., The Protection of Civil Rights Rules, 1977 were notifi ed in 1977. The Act extends to the whole of the country and provides punishment for the practice of untouchability.

 

Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act

Ø  The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (The PoA Act) came into force in 1990. This legislation aims at preventing the commission of offences by persons other than scheduled castes and scheduled tribes against scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

 

National Commission for Scheduled Castes

Ø  The National Commission for (NCSC) was set up under Article 383 of the Constitution in 1990 was bifurcated into two Commissions namely, National Commission for Scheduled Castes and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes after the 89th Constitutional (Amendment) Act, 2003.

 

Educational Empowerment

·         Pre-Matric Scholarship

Ø  This is a centrally sponsored scheme, which is implemented by the state governments and union territory administrations, which receive 100 per cent central assistance for the total expenditure under the scheme, over and above their respective committed liability. The level of committed liability of respective state governments/union territory administrations for a year is equivalent to the level of actual expenditure incurred by them under the Scheme during the terminal year of the last Five Year Plan

 

·         Pre-Matric Scholarship for SC Students

Ø  The Scheme was introduced in 2012. It provides 100 per cent assistance from the Government of India for expenditure under the Scheme, over and above their committed liability.

 

·         Post-Matric Scholarship for SC Students

Ø  This fl agship scheme of the Ministry is the single largest intervention by the Government of India for the educational empowerment of scheduled caste students and is in operation since 1944. This is a centrally sponsored scheme under which central assistance is released to states/UTs. The scholarships are available for studying in India only and are awarded by the states/union territories to which the applicant belongs.

 

·         National Overseas Scholarship for SCs

Ø  The Scheme provides for fees charged by institutions as per actual, monthly maintenance allowance, passage visa fee and insurance premium, annual contingency allowance and incidental journey allowance. Only two children of the same parents/ guardians are eligible to get benefi ts under the Scheme. The second child of the same parents/guardian will be considered only if the slots are still available for that year.

·         Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana

Ø  The objective of the Scheme is to provide hostel facilities to SC boys and girls studying in middle schools, higher secondary schools, colleges and universities.

 

·         Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for SC Students

Ø  Scheduled caste students for pursuing research studies leading to M.Phil., PhD, and equivalent research degrees in universities, research institutions and scientifi c institutions. University Grants Commission (UGC) is the nodal agency for implementing the Scheme. About 2000 Junior Research Fellowships (JRF) per year are awarded to scheduled caste students.

 

Special Central Assistance

·         Scheduled Castes Sub Plan

Ø  (SCSP) is a central sector Scheme, started in 1980, under which a 100 per cent grant is given to the states/UTs, as an additive to their Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP). The main objective is to give a thrust to family-oriented schemes of economic development for SCs below the poverty line.

·         Scheduled Castes Development Corporations

Ø  The centrally sponsored scheme for participating in the equity share of the Scheduled Castes Development Corporations (SCDCs) in the ratio of 49:51 (central/state) was introduced in 1979. At present, SCDCs are functioning in 27 states/UTs.

·         National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation

Ø  The (NSFDC) were set up in 1989 under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 (formerly Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956). The broad objective of NSFDC is to provide fi nancial assistance in the form of concessional loans to scheduled caste families, and skill-cum-entrepreneurial training to the youth of the target group, living below double the poverty line for their economic development.

·         Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Castes

Ø  The government announced the setting up of a Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Castes in 2014. This was to promote entrepreneurship among the scheduled castes and to provide concessional fi nance to them.

·         Credit Enhancement Guarantee Scheme for Scheduled Castes

Ø  In 2014, the government announced that a sum of 200 crores will be allocated towards credit enhancement facilities for young and start-up entrepreneurs, belonging to scheduled castes, who aspire to be part of the neo-middle class category to encourage entrepreneurship in the lower strata of society resulting in job creation.

·         Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase of Appliances

Ø  Under the Scheme for Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances assistance is given for procuring durable, sophisticated and scientifi cally manufactured, standard aids and appliances that can promote their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation by reducing the impact of disability and enhance their economic potential. The Scheme also includes under its ambit medical/surgical correction and intervention that may be essential before the fi tment of aids and appliances.

·         Artifi cial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India

Ø  (ALIMCO), a CPSE under the Department was set up in 1972 by the Government of India. The objective of ALIMCO is to manufacture quality aids and assistive devices at affordable prices.

Tribal Affairs

·         Development of Scheduled Tribes

Ø  The Ministry of Tribal Affairs was set up in 1999 after the bifurcation of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to provide a more focused approach to the integrated socio-economic development of the Scheduled Tribes (STs), the most underprivileged of society, in a coordinated and planned manner.

·         Scheduled Areas and Tribal Areas

Ø  Scheduled Tribes live in contiguous areas, unlike other communities. It is, therefore, much simpler to have an area approach for development activities and also regulatory provisions to protect their interests. To protect the interests of scheduled tribes about land alienation and other social factors, provisions of the Fifth Schedule and Sixth Schedule have been enshrined in the Constitution.

·         National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation

Ø  The (NSTFDC) were set up in 2001 under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The NSTFDC has been granted a license under Section 25 of the Companies Act (A not for profi t Company).

Ø  NSTFDC provides fi nancial assistance as grants for the skill and entrepreneurial development of the target group. NSTFDC also provides fi nancial assistance for procurement and marketing of minor forest produce to avoid the distressed sale of produce/products by the scheduled tribes.

·         Special Schemes

Ø  Adivasi Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojana (AMSY) is an exclusive scheme for the economic development of ST women, at a highly concessional rate of interest.

·         Pradhan Mantri Janjatiye Vikas Mission

Ø  Mission, which seeks to achieve livelihood driven tribal development in the next fi ve years has been put in place. It will operate through the formation of Vandhan groups that have been organised into Vandhan Kendras.

·         Programmes for Promotion through NGOs

Ø  The Ministry supports the efforts of these organizations who are working in areas of education, health and livelihood in remotest regions of the country through a scheme of “Grant in Aid to NGOs”. The Ministry has developed an NGO grant tracking and monitoring system (NGO portal). The dedicated NGO portal (ngo.tribal.gov.in) provides a customised end-to-end solution for the online implementation of the NGO scheme.

·         Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana

Ø  The VKY has been adopted as a strategic process. It aims at creating enabling environment for the need-based and outcome-oriented holistic development of tribal people.

·         Eklavya Model Residential Schools

Ø  The scheme of (EMRSs) was introduced in the year 1997-98 to provide quality upper primary, secondary and senior secondary level education to Scheduled Tribes (ST) students in remote tribal areas.

 

Support to Tribal Research Institutes

Ø  The Ministry provides fi nancial support to strengthen the TRIs in their infrastructural needs, research and documentation activities and training along with capacity building programmes, action research projects benefi cial to tribal communities or tribal areas, organisation of tribal festivals/yatras for promotion of unique cultural heritage and for promoting tourism, organising “exchange of visits by tribals”, so that they get a wider perspective of culture and traditions, learn socio¬economic development/best practices of other areas.

 

Tribal Freedom Fighters’ Museum

§  Janjatiya Gaurav Divas

Ø  The government of India has declared 2021, November 15th as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas to honour all the tribal freedom fi ghters for remembering and acknowledging their contribution to the freedom struggle and cultural heritage, and to re-energize the efforts for the socio-economic development of the tribal regions. The date is the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, an iconic freedom fi ghter and tribal leader of the country.

 

Welfare of Other Backward Classes

Ø  The Second Backward Classes Commission (commonly known as Mandal Commission), constituted under Article 340, and submitted its report in 1980. In the light of this report, the Government of India provided 27 per cent reservation in central government posts for persons belonging to the socially and economically backward classes (also referred to as “Other Backward Classes” or OBCs).

§  Pre-Matric Scholarship for OBCs

Ø  In this scheme, the expenditure is shared between centre and state in a 50:50 ratio. This scheme aims to motivate children of OBCs to study at the pre¬matric stage. The income ceiling for eligibility should not exceed 2,50,500 per annum.

§  Post-Matric Scholarship for OBCs

Ø  The objective of the Scheme is to provide fi nancial assistance to the OBC students studying at the post-matriculation or post-secondary stage to enable them to complete their education. The income ceiling of parents/guardians for eligibility is 1.00 lakh per annum.

§  VISVAS Yojana Scheme

Ø  Vanchit Ikai Samooh our Vargon ki Aarthik Sahayta Yojana (VISVAS Yojana) is for the benefi t of Scheduled Castes and OBC Self Help Groups/individual members with annual family incomes up to 3 lakh. All individual members will be eligible for interest subvention on loans up to 2.00 lakh at 5 percent interest per annum.

§  Dr Ambedkar Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans

Ø  The objective of the Scheme is to award interest subsidies to meritorious students belonging to the (OBCs) and Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) to provide them better opportunities for higher education abroad and enhance their employability. It was launched in 2014-15 and revised in 2017- 18.

§  Post-Matric Scholarship to the EBC Students

Ø  The objective of the scheme is to provide fi nancial assistance to the EBC students studying at the post-matriculation or post-secondary stage. The income ceiling of parents/guardians for eligibility is 1 lakh per annum (including self-income if employed).

§  Nanaji Deshmukh Scheme of Construction of Hostels

Ø  This is a centrally sponsored scheme launched in 2014-15, The Scheme aims at providing hostel facilities to those DNT students who are not covered under SC, ST or OBC, to enable them to pursue secondary and higher education. The income ceiling for eligibility is 2 lakh per annum.

 

Welfare of Persons with Disabilities

Ø  To give focused attention to different policy issues and meaningful thrust to the activities aimed at welfare and empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, a separate Department of Disability Affairs was carved out of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2012. The Department acts as a nodal agency for matters about disability and persons with disabilities including effecting closer coordination among different stakeholders—related central ministries, state/UT governments, NGOs etc.—in matters about disability.

§  The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016

Ø  The RPwD Act, 2016 provides for various rights and entitlements for persons with disabilities. These rights and entitlements include equality and non-discrimination, community life, protection against cruelty and inhuman treatment, access to justice, legal capacity, right to live in family and community, reproduction rights, etc. The Act mandates the appropriate governments to frame schemes and programmes in the area of inclusive education, skill development, social security, health, rehabilitation, recreation and sports for effective empowerment and inclusion of persons with disabilities.

§  National Trust

Ø  The National Trust for the welfare of persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities is a statutory body set up under the National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999. The main objectives of the National Trust are to enable and empower persons with these disabilities to live independently as fully as possible, to extend support to registered organisations providing need-based services and to evolve procedures for the appointment of legal guardians for persons with disabilities requiring such protection.

§  Mental Health Act

Ø  Mental illness has been recognised as one of the disabilities under the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995. The treatment and care of mentally ill persons are governed by the Mental Health Act, of 1987.

§  National Institutes

Ø  There are nine National Institutes (NIs) working under the Department specializing in different kinds of disabilities. The main objectives of these Institutes are to conduct various courses in the fi eld of disabilities, to provide rehabilitation services to Persons with Disabilities and undertake Research and Development.

§  Composite Regional Centre

Ø  CRCs provide rehabilitation services to all categories of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), train rehabilitation professionals, workers and functionaries, undertake programmes of education and skill development and create awareness amongst parents and the community regarding the needs and rights of PwD.

§  Rehabilitation Council of India

Ø  The Rehabilitation Council of India is a statutory body set up under the Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992. The Council is responsible for regulating the training policies and programmes for various categories of professionals in the area of rehabilitation and special education.

 

Social Defence

Ø  In the areas of Social Defence, the Ministry is committed to the welfare of older persons and the rehabilitation of drug addicts. The programmes for the targeted groups are given next.

 

National Policy for Older Persons

Ø  The existing National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP) was announced in 1999 to reaffi rm the commitment to ensuring the well-being of older persons. The Policy envisaged state support to ensure fi nancial and food security, healthcare, shelter and other needs of older persons, equitable share in the development, protection against abuse and exploitation, and availability of services to improve the quality of their lives.

§  National Council for Senior Citizens

Ø  The government has reconstituted National Council for Older Persons (NCOP) to advise and aid the government in developing policies and programmes for older persons. It is the highest body to advise and coordinate with the government in the formulation and implementation of policy and programmes for the welfare of the aged.

 

Drugs and Psychotropic Substances

Ø  The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, were enacted, inter alia, to curb drug abuse.

 

§  Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Policy

·         Ministry of Finance in consultation with all stakeholders including the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has brought the (NDPS Policy) which aims to:

·         Spell out the policy towards narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances

·          Serve as a guide to various ministries and organisations in the government and the state governments as well as international organisations, NGOs, etc.

·          Re-assert India’s commitment to combat the drug menace holistically

§  Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

Ø  The Ministry launched (NMBA) in 272 identifi ed vulnerable districts to create awareness about the ill effects of substance abuse among the youth, with a special focus on higher education institutes, university campuses and schools and reaching out to the community.

 

Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE)

Ø  The Ministry formulated an umbrella scheme - (SMILE), which includes two sub-schemes - Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons and Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of Begging.

 

Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS)

Ø  The government is committed to eradicating manual scavenging. A central sector (SRMS) is being implemented since 2007 for the rehabilitation of identifi ed manual scavengers in alternate occupations.

 

Minorities

Ø  The Ministry of Minority Affairs was established in 2006. It has been mandated for the formulation of policies, schemes and programmes for welfare and socio-economic development of 6 notifi ed minority communities namely, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains, which constitute more than 19 per cent of India’s population.

§  15-Point Programme for Minorities

Ø  The Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities was announced in 2006. The objectives of the programme are:

·         Enhancing education opportunities

·         Ensuring an equitable share for minorities in economic activities and employment,

·         Improving the conditions of living of minorities

·         Prevention and control of communal disharmony and violence.

§  Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF)

Ø  The (MANF) scheme for minority students was launched in 2009 as a Central Sector Scheme (CSS). The objective of the scheme is to provide fi ve-year fellowships in the form of fi nancial assistance to students from minority communities, notifi ed by the central government to pursue higher studies such as M.Phil. and PhD courses.

§  Naya Savera - Free Coaching and Allied Scheme

Ø  The Free Coaching and Allied Scheme for the candidates belonging to minority communities were launched in 2007 by this Ministry.

§  Padho Pardes

Ø  The objective of the Scheme is to award interest subsidies to meritorious students belonging to economically weaker sections of notifi ed minority communities to provide them better opportunities for higher education abroad and enhance their employability.

§  Nai Roshni

Ø  This Ministry implements an exclusive scheme ‘Nai Roshni’ for leadership development of minority women to empower and instil confi dence in them by providing knowledge, tools and techniques for interacting with government systems, banks and intermediaries at all levels. It is implemented through empanelled non-governmental organisations.

 

§  Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK)

Ø  PMJVK is a centrally sponsored scheme identifi ed as the core scheme under the national development agenda by the NITI Aayog. The priority sectors under the scheme are education, health, skill development and women-centric projects and 80 per cent of the funds are allocated for the priority sectors.

 

§  National Commission for Minorities

Ø  The Minorities Commission which was set up in 1978 became a statutory body with the enactment of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. The fi rst statutory National Commission was set up in 1993.

Ø  The main functions of the Commission are to evaluate the progress of the development of minorities, monitor the working of the safeguards provided in the Constitution and laws enacted by the central and state governments, for the protection of the interests of minorities and look into specifi c complaints regarding deprivation of the rights of minorities.

 

§  Commission for Linguistic Minorities (CLM)

Ø  The Offi ce of the (CLM) was established in 1957 in pursuance of the provision of Article 350-B of the Constitution which envisages investigation by CLM of all matters relating to the safeguards provided for the linguistic minorities in the country under the Constitution and reporting to the President upon these matters at such intervals as the President may direct.

 

Women and Child Development

Ø  A separate Ministry of Women and Child Development came into existence in 2006 with the prime intention of addressing gaps in state action for women and children and for promoting inter-ministerial and inter-sectoral convergence to create gender equitable and child-centred legislation, policies and programmes. The Ministry has the main responsibility to advance the rights and concerns of women and children and to promote their survival, protection, development and participation holistically.

 

§  Acts relating to Women and Children

Ø  The Ministry is in charge of the administration of the following Acts relating to women and children:

Ø  The Immoral Traffi c (Prevention) Act, 1956 (as amended in 1986)

Ø  The Indecent Representation of Women (Prevention) Act; 1986 (60 of 1986)

Ø  The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 as amended in 1986;

Ø  The Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987 (3 of 1988)

Ø  The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act; 2006 (notifi ed in January 2007)

Ø  Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005

Ø  National Commission for Women Act, 1990

Ø  Infant Milk Substitutes; Feeding Bottles and Infant Food (Regulation of Production; Supply and Distribution) Act, 1992 (41 of 1992)  Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act; 2005

Ø  Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000

Ø  The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and POCSO Rules, 2012 y Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal), 2012

Ø  The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill was passed in Parliament in August 2011.

 

§  Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

Ø  Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is one of the fl agship programmes of the government, launched in 2015 to address the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and other related issues of disempowerment of women. The specifi c objectives of the Scheme include preventing gender-biased sex-selective elimination; ensuring survival and protection of the girl child and ensuring education and participation of the girl child.

 

§  Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)

Ø  The government approved the pan-India implementation of the maternity benefi ts programme for eligible pregnant women and lactating mothers. The programme was named (PMMVY). All eligible pregnant women for the fi rst living child of the family are entitled to benefi ts under the scheme.

 

§  Poshan Abhiyaan

Ø  Poshan Abhiyaan is a fl agship programme of the Ministry of Women and Child Development that ensures convergence with various programmes i.e., Anganwadi Services, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) of MWCD Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), National Health Mission (NHM), Swachh Bharat Mission and Public Distribution System (PDS).

Ø  To promote the nutritional status of women and children, a transparent and enabling environment is being created that nurtures health, wellness and immunity.

 

§  One-Stop Centres

Ø  Women suffer violence but do not complain. To assist such women, a new initiative to establish One Stop Centres (OSC) was conceived and is being implemented across the country since April 2015. A woman who has suffered violence can get medical, police, legal and psychological counselling assistance at these centres.

 

§  Universalisation of Women Helpline

Ø  The Scheme of Universalisation of Women Helpline is being implemented in 2015, intended to provide 24 hours emergency and non-emergency response to women affected by violence through referral (linking with appropriate authorities such as police, One Stop Centre, hospital) and information about women related government schemes/programmes across the country through a single uniform number (181).

 

§  Panic Button on Mobile Phones

Ø  Based on extensive stakeholder consultations initiated by the Ministry, the ‘Panic Button and Global Positioning System in Mobile Phone Handsets Rules, 2016’ have been notifi ed by the Department of Telecommunications. Under these rules, all new feature phones will have the facility of panic button confi gured to the numeric key 5 or 9 and all smartphones will have it confi gured to three times short pressing of the on-off button.

 

§  Mahila Police Volunteers

Ø  This scheme is funded under Nirbhaya Fund as a centrally sponsored scheme to create and empower (MPV). MPVs are envisaged to act as a link between police and the community and facilitate women in distress. MPVs serve as a public-policy interface to fi ght crime against women and report incidents of violence against women such as domestic violence, child marriage, dowry harassment and violence faced by women in public spaces.

 

§  Swadhar Greh

Ø  The Ministry is implementing the Swadhar Greh Scheme which targets the women who have been victims of unfortunate circumstances and who need institutional support for rehabilitation so that they could lead their life with dignity. The Scheme envisages providing shelter, food, clothing and health as well as economic and social security for the women victims of diffi cult circumstances which include widows, destitute and/or aged women.

 

§  Reservation for Women in Police Force

Ø  The WCD Ministry has been working along with the Ministry of Home Affairs to improve overall police responsiveness to gender-sensitive cases and bring visibility to more women and strengthen gender sensitivity in the police force. An advisory has been issued to all state governments to increase the representation of women in police to 33 per cent of the total strength.

 

§  Inclusion of Acid Attack as Disability

Ø  The recently enacted Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 notifi ed in 2016, included acid attack as a kind of disability. Acid attack victims can now avail disability benefi ts.

 

§  NRI Matrimonial Disputes

Ø  To spread information MWCD has prepared Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for women involved in NRI matrimonial disputes. These SoPs narrate the step-wise correct legal recourse to be undertaken by women to facilitate speedy access to justice. These are also intended to serve as an effective reference manual for court and police offi cials across the country that are investigating such disputes or representing such women’s interests in courts.

 

§  Extending Maternity Leave Duration

Ø  Ministry of Labour and Employment carried out suitable amendments in the Act, which are as follows: (i) enhancement of maternity leave under the Maternity Benefi t Act, 1961 from existing 12 weeks to 26 weeks; (ii) extension of maternity benefi t to adopting mothers and commissioning mothers; and (iii) establishment of creche facility within the offi ce/factory premises.

Ø  The Act is now called the Maternity Benefi t (Amendment) Act, 2017.

 

§  Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace

Ø  To ensure the safety and security of women in the workplace,(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. In this regard, advisories and monitoring frameworks have been issued to state governments/ central ministries/departments to ensure the effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment Act, expeditious inquiry into the complaint and prevent further victimisation of the complainant.

 

§  National Policy for Women

Ø  The Draft National Policy for Women, 2016, is in its last stages of fi nalisation. It has been revised after 15 years and is expected to guide government action on women’s issues over the next 15-20 years. The policy addresses women’s issues on a life-cycle continuum and encompasses a wide spectrum of issues from education, health, economic participation, decision making, violence, creation of an enabling environment, etc.

 

§  Legislation on Traffi cking

Ø  Ministry of Women and Child Development has drafted comprehensive legislation on Traffi cking - Traffi cking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2017, to fi ll the existing gaps and cover all aspects of traffi cking by including various offences about traffi cking prevention, protection and rehabilitation of victims. The draft Bill also proposes to tackle traffi cking by creating a strong legal, economic and social environment for the victims.

 

§  Initiatives for Women Traffi cking of Persons

Ø  Human Traffi cking is one of the largest organised crimes violating basic human rights. Traffi cking in human beings may be for sexual exploitation and many other forms including forced labour, etc. This crime is primarily fuelled by poverty, illiteracy, lack of livelihood options, etc.

 

§  Ujjawala Scheme

Ø  The Scheme was launched in 2007 to prevent the traffi cking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation, facilitate the rescue of victims and placing them in safe custody, provide rehabilitation services by providing basic amenities/needs, to facilitate the reintegration of victims into the family and society, to facilitate the repatriation of cross-border victims.

 

§  Nirbhaya Fund

Ø  The Government had set up a dedicated fund called Nirbhaya Fund in 2013, for the implementation of initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety and security of women in the country.

 

§  Nari Shakti Puraskar

Ø  On this occasion, Nari Shakti Puraskars are given to individuals and institutions that have rendered distinguished services to the cause of women’s empowerment. The awards carry a cash prize of one lakh rupees each and a certifi cate.

 

Children’s Issues

Ø  The Ministry of Women and Child Development is administering various schemes for the welfare, development and protection of children.

 

§  Missing/Traffi cked/Runaway Children

Ø  Khoya-Paya Portal: A new citizen-based portal Khoya-Paya was launched in 2015 which enables the posting of information about missing and sighted children. It also provides a facility for matching the two databases – missing and sighted children.

 

§  Juvenile Justice

Ø  The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model Rules, 2016 were notifi ed thereby repealing the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules, 2007 (JJ Rules, 2007).

 

§  Anganwadi Services

Ø  The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme now known as Anganwadi Services Scheme was launched in 1975 to improve the nutritional and health status of children. The benefi ciaries of the scheme are children below six years of age, and pregnant and lactating mothers. It is self-selecting and is open to all the benefi ciaries without any pre-condition.

 

§  Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG)

Ø  The (SAG) was introduced in 2010-11 and is operational in 205 selected districts across the country. It aims at all-round on pilot basis development of adolescent girls of 11-18 years.

 

§  Food and Nutrition Board

Ø  Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) under MWCD is in process of setting up 4 food testing Laboratories, the food and nutritional supplements for food safety and quality to ensure nutritional and feeding norms for supplementary nutrition in ICDS Scheme.

 

§  National Plan of Action for Children (NPAC)

Ø  The (NPAC), 2016, is based on the principles embedded in the National Policy for Children, 2013. The Action Plan has four key priority areas: survival, health and nutrition; education and development; protection; and participation. The NPAC seeks to ensure convergence of ongoing programmes and the initiation of new programmes to focus on objectives through well-defi ned strategies and activities to achieve the desired level of outcome for children.

 

§  National Early Childhood Care and Education (NECCE)

Ø  Ministry launched the (NECCE) Policy in 2013. The National ECCE council aims to improve the fi eld of early childhood care and education. The main objective of the Council is to embed the concept and practice for holistic and integrated development with requisite quality for young children in the age group of 0-6 years.

 

§  National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development

Ø  The Institute functions as an apex institution for training functionaries of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme. As a nodal resource agency, it has also been entrusted with the responsibility of training and capacity building functionaries at the national and regional levels, under the new scheme of Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS).

 

§  National Commission for Women

Ø  The National Commission for Women was set up to review the Constitutional and legal safeguards for women; recommend remedial legislative measures; facilitate redressal of grievances, and advise the government on all policy matters affecting women.

 

§  National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)

Ø  NCPCR is a statutory body to ensure that all laws, policies, programmes, and administrative mechanisms are in consonance with the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

 

§  Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK)

Ø  (RMK) was established in 1993 as an autonomous body and was registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The main objective of RMK is to provide micro-credit to poor women for various livelihood support and income-generating activities at concessional terms in a client-friendly procedure to bring about their socio-economic development.

 

§  Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules

Ø  The Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 provide for payment of monthly pension and retirement gratuity on the retirement of a Government servant, family pension and death gratuity on the death of a Government servant during service and family pension on death of a pensioner.

 

Initiatives for the Welfare of Pensioners

 

§  Jeevan Pramaan Related Reforms

Ø  In November 2014, an online system for submission of life certifi cate “Jeevan Pramaan” was launched. Through this, a pensioner can give an online Life Certifi cate, anytime and from anywhere, by attaching a biometric device to his PC/mobile phone or using the services of a Common Service Centre (CSC) or any nearest bank branch.

 

§  National Pension System

Ø  A new contribution based Pension Scheme System, now called National Pension System (NPS) is now administered by the Ministry of Finance (Department of Financial Services). The Scheme is now mandatory for all recruits to the central government service (except the armed forces) from January 1, 2004.

Ø  Under the NPS, every Government servant is registered and allotted a Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN).

 

§  Pension Adalats

Ø  Pension Adalat is a concept to provide a single platform where the concerned stakeholders, viz., ministry/departments/organisation/CPAO /bank could be brought together for expeditious resolution of long pending grievances to the satisfaction of the petitioner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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