Welfare

schemes for vulnerable sections of the population

by the Centre and States and the performance of these
schemes
08/07/23 11:50 AM

Who? WOMEN : Data

• Have socio-economic disadvantages • National Family Health Survey-5
Complexity? (2019-21) draws attention to Constitutional Provisions for the SC/ST/OBC and Constitutional Provisions for Women: Schemes for Senior citizens:
• The task of identifying the vulnerable groups is not an easy one. Besides there are multiple and complex factors • Art. 15(3): It allows the state to make special provisions for women and children. Several acts such as • Continuous increase in life expectancy means that more people are now living longer.
of vulnerability with different layers and more often than once it cannot be analysed in isolation.
the fact that 25% women minorities: Dowry Prevention Act have been passed including the most recent one of Protection of women from • problems in the absence of adequate social security.
married before reaching the
domestic violence Act 2005. Unorganized Worker Children:
• Sometimes each group faces multiple barriers due to their multiple identities. legal minimum age of marriage
For example, in a patriarchal society, disabled women face double discrimination of being a women and being • 15(4) : Clause 4 of article 15 is the fountain head of all provisions regarding compensatory • Art. 23: Under the fundamental right against exploitation, flesh trade has been banned. Disabled:
disabled. discrimination for SCs/STs. • Art. 39: Ensures equal pay to women for equal work. The term unorganized worker has been defined under the Unorganized Workers' Social legislative measures viz
• Institutional deliveries in India • Art. 15 (5) : This clause was added in 93rd amendment in 2005 and allows the state to make • Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS):
• varies between states and regions, i.e., rural-urban • Art. 40: Provides 1/3 reservation in panchayat. Security Act, 2008, as a home based worker, self-employed worker or a wage worker in the (i) The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act),
• Structural discrimination against these groups takes place in the form of physical, psychological, emotional and
increased from 70.6 per cent in special provisions for backward classes or SCs or STs for admissions in private educational • Art. 42: Provides free pregnancy care and delivery. • Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) Central Sector Scheme to unorganized sector and includes a worker in the organized sector who is not covered by any (ii) The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) 2006,
cultural abuse which receives legitimacy from the social structure and the social system. 2008-09 to 95.5 per cent in institutions, aided or unaided. • Art. 44: It urges the state to implement uniform civil code, which will help improve the condition of women (iii) The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, • NIRAMAYA (Health Insurance Scheme - Affordable Health Insurance to PwDs.)
• Art. 16(4): This clause allows the state to reserve vacancies in public service for any backward
improve the quality of life of the Senior Citizens of the Acts mentioned in Schedule-II of Act.
• The negative attitude of the health professionals towards these groups also acts as a barrier to receiving quality 2021-22 (Institutional deliveries across all religions. (iv) The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986,
healthcare from the health system in India have seen a hike, but classes of the state that are not adequately represented in the public services. (v) The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 etc., Workshops, Seminars, legal awareness
• Art. 16 (4A): This allows the state to implement reservation in the matter of promotion for SCs • GRANT OF SCHOLARSHIP TO DIFFERENTLY ABLED STUDENTS
home deliveries continue to be Welfare schemes for women: • Scheme of Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC): Setting up of Homes to improve the Institutional mechanisms: camps and consultation are held with the State Governments, NGOs and other stakeholders for sensitisation and wider public
a norm, especially in the north- and STs. quality of life of the Senior Citizens, especially indigent senior citizens by providing basic amenities awareness. • Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS):-
• eShram The portal for the registration of Unorganized Workers across the Country was
east and some north Indian • Art. 17: This abolishes untouchability and its practice in any form. • SwadharGreh Scheme: The Scheme caters to primary needs of women in difficult circumstances – like shelter, food, medical care and entertainment opportunities and by encouraging productive and Under the Scheme, funds for the welfare of persons with disabilities are provided to the non governmental organizations
launched. This portal will help build a comprehensive National Database of Unorganized
states like Uttar Pradesh, • Art. 19(5): It allows the state to impose restriction on freedom of movement or of residence in women and girls rendered homeless due to family discord, crime, violence, mental stress, social ostracism active ageing. for projects like special schools for disabled, Vocational Training Centres, Half Way Homes, Community Based
Workers (NDUW) in the country.
Uttarakhand and Delhi in the benefit of Scheduled Tribes. or are being forced into prostitution and are in moral danger. The scheme through the provisions of shelter, Rehabilitation Centres, Early Intervention Centres for Disabled and Rehabilitation of Leprosy Cured Persons etc.
• Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana is a government scheme meant for old age
2021-22, as per the latest • Art. 40: Provides reservation in 1/3 seats in Panchayats to SC/ST. food, clothing, counselling, training, clinical and legal aid aims to rehabilitate such women in difficult
List of Vulnerable sections: health ministry data) • Art. 46: Enjoins the states to promote with care the educational and economic interests of the • Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana’ (RVY): A scheme for providing physical Aids and Assisted living protection and social security of Unorganized workers. SCHEMES: • Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP):-
circumstance economically and emotionally. Under SwadharGreh Scheme vocational and skill upgradation • Aam Admi Beema Yojana : Recognizing the need for providing social security to these workers, Under the scheme, aids/appliances are distributed to the needy persons with disabilities.
weaker sections, specially SC and STs. devices to Senior Citizens.
1. Children training is provided for economic rehabilitation of women. the Central Government has introduced a Bill in the Parliament. • Integrated Child Development Scheme: • The National Handicapped Finance and development Corporation (NHFDC)
• The current maternal mortality • Art. 330/332: Allows reservation of seats for SC/ST in the parliament as well as in state
2. Women >> is 97 (per 100,000 live births in legislatures. • One Stop Centres (OSCs), popularly known as SakhiCentres, aim to facilitate women affected by violence
• Livelihood and Skilling Initiatives for Senior Citizens - Senior Able Citizens for Re-Employment in objective to improve the nutritional and health status of preschool children 0-6 years of age group with following provides concessional credit to persons with disabilities for setting up income generating activities for self employment.
antenatal care, a year), down from 254 in 2004 • Art. 338/338A/339: Establishes a National Commission of SCs and STs. Art. 339 allows the Dignity (SACRED); Action Groups Aimed at Social Reconstruction (AGRASR Groups):Elderly services : • Scheme of incentives to Employees in the Private Sector for providing employment to persons with disabilities
(including domestic violence) with a range of integrated services under one roof such as Police facilitation, Self Help groups
3. scheduled castes As per the Special Bulletin on central govt. to direct states to implement and execute plans for the betterment of SC/STs. medical aid, legal aid and legal counselling, psycho-social counselling, temporary shelter, etc. Supplementary Nutrition.
MMR released by the Registrar
4. scheduled tribes General of India (RGI). • Promoting silver economy Health Check-up.
• Women Helpline (WHL) Scheme provides 24 hours emergency and non-emergency response to Immunization.
5. other backward classes women affected by violence, both in public and private spaces by linking them with appropriate authority
• Channelizing CSR funds for Elderly care Referral Services.
6. minorities • Since the beginning of 2000, Judgements: such as Police, One Stop Centre, Hospital, Legal Services, etc. Early Childhood Care and Pre-school Education.
India has cut the number of
7. elderly people child marriages by half. • Champakam Dorairajan vs State of Madras • Action Groups Aimed at Social Reconstruction (AGRASR Groups): Elderly Self Help groups - The Senior Citizens Nutrition and Health Education. \
• Hub for Empowerment of Women (HEW): For increasing awareness about schemes of the Ministry
8. people with disabilities (The clause 4 of Article 15 was added in the first amendment to the constitution in 1951 after and other measures undertaken by the Government for welfare and development of women, National,
are encouraged to form Self-Help Groups (SHGs), which will provide them with a platform to share the time
constructively with each other. • Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition and is implementing several schemes like Anganwadi Services,
9. LGBT communities the SC judgement in the case of Champakam Dorairajan vs State of Madras. It says thus, State and District Level Hubs for Empowerment of Women (HEW) have been approved under the new
• Acc. To NFHS-5, just 10% of "Nothing in this article or in article 29(2) shall prevent the state from making any provisions for Minorities: Scheme for Adolescent Girls and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) under the Umbrella Integrated Child
10. poor people Mission Shakti, with the aim to facilitate inter-sectoral convergence of schemes and programs meant for • National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP): Under National Social Assistance Program (NSAP) Development Services (ICDS) Scheme as direct targeted interventions to address the problem of malnutrition in the country.
women in India are the advancement of any socially and economically backward classes of citizens or for women at different levels with the mandate to create an environment in which women realize their full
independently able to take Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes." This clause started the era of reservations in India".) scheme, the elderly, widows, and disabled persons belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) • According to the Census of India 2011, the percentage of religious minorities in the country was
potential. 19.3 percent of the overall population. • Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) was introduced in 2009-10 with the aim to contribute to the improvement
decisions about their own
• Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) • National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities, also called Ranganath Misra in the well being of children in difficult circumstances, as well as the reduction of vulnerabilities to situations that lead to
health and 11% of women • Balaji vs State of Mysore, the SC held that reservation cannot be more than 50%. • Government of India launched the Stand Up India scheme on 5th April 2016 to promote
Implementation of welfare schemes in rural areas: NGOs Commission abuse, neglect, exploitation, abandonment and separation of children from their families.
believe that marital violence is entrepreneurship amongst women, SC and ST categories, i.e., those sections of the population understood
• due to their proximity to general public, can work as an interface between the government and the acceptable if a woman refuses • Indra Sawhney vs Union of India, SC upheld the decision given under Balaji vs State of Mysore to be facing significant hurdles due to lack of advice/ mentorship as well as inadequate and delayed credit. • Prime Minister’s 15 point Programme for minorities is a programme approved by the Union
citizens. Thus, NGOs play the three key roles of being an implementer, a catalyst and a partner in the to have sex with her husband. that reservation should not exceed 50% except only in special circumstances. It further held
implementation of government welfare schemes. Government in June 2006 for welfare of religious minorities. • Mission Poshan 2.0, an integrated nutrition support programme has been announced in budget 2021-2022 for all States/UTs. It
that it is valid to sub-categorize the reservation between backward and more backward
o Example: Association of Voluntary agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) serves as coordinating • The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA) seeks • schemes like Operationalisation of Anganwadi Centres Under ICDS, Indira Awas Yojana (IAY), Pre- seeks to strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach and outcomes with focus on developing practices that nurture health,
• Nearly half of all pregnancies in classes. However, total should still not exceed 50%. It also held that the carry forward rule is
agency at the national level and there are institutions like CHETNA, which undertake coordinating to ensure employment in rural households, mandating that at least one third of the jobs generated should Matric Scholarship, and Post-Matric Scholarship have excellent performance under 15 Point wellness and immunity to disease and malnutrition.
India are unplanned, as they are valid as long as reservation does not exceed 50%.
work at the regional level. be given to women. Programme, and have great impact on the minority population of the country.
globally. • Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG)-SABLA aims at an all-round development
• Fighting social evils in rural areas: It is due to the efforts of NGOs that the government has
Institutional Mechanisms: • Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) has been launched to ensure old age protection
of adolescent girls (AGs) of 11-18 years by making them self reliant by facilitating access to learning, health and nutrition
banned sex determination of foetus as it leads to evils like abortion of female foetus. • Raising the women's labour For Transgender: (Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Ko Kaam Karyakram (PMKKK) now named as Pradhan through various interventions such as health, education, vocational training etc. Such empowerment also addresses the
For education and economic empowerment: for Unorganised Workers who are not covered by any other pension scheme. The unorganised workers
o Example: Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan has taken up the task of spreading knowledge on the force participation by 10 Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) Scheme. The integrated scheme issue of Child Marriage.
issue of female foeticide. including women,
percentage points might The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 defines “Transgender person”, as a person converges five erstwhile schemes of the Ministry viz. Seekho aur Kamao,
• Education and healthcare: There are not an adequate number of government run schools or • Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK), a Centrally Sponsored
account for more than 70% of whose gender does not match with the gender assigned to that person at birth and includes trans-man USTTAD, Hamari Dharohar, Nai Roshni and Nai Manzil.) • Rehabilitation of Child Labour : National Child Labour Project (NCLP) is a Scheme with the objective to withdraw children
hospitals, especially in some rural areas. Even if they are present, they do not have resources. the potential GDP growth
Scheme (CSS), with the objective to develop infrastructure projects in identified • National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS): The Ministry of Rural Development Implements National working in hazardous occupations and processes, and mainstream them into formal education system.
areas for their socio-economic development -- an area development scheme in the Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) under which monetary grant of Rs. 20,000 is given as lump sum assistance to or trans-woman (whether or not such person has undergone Sex Reassignment Surgery or hormone
The NGOs try to complement and complete these initiatives. opportunity
identified Minority Concentrated Areas (MCAs). The scheme has contributed to up-gradation the bereaved household in the event of death of the bread-winner. therapy or laser therapy or such other therapy), person with intersex variations, genderqueer and • “Seekho aur Kamao is a comprehensive skill development scheme to support productive
o Example: NGO called Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad is largely credited for the hundred
of school infrastructure, providing additional classrooms, new hostels, Community Health person having such socio-cultural identities as kinner, hijra, aravani and jogta employment among Minority youth
percent literacy rate in Kerala. • Sukanya Samriddhi Yojna
• Agricultural development: NGO like MYRADA, National Agro Foundation, etc., help in assisting Centers (CHCs), Primary Health Centers (PHCs), health sub-centers, Industrial Training • NariArthikSashaktikaran Yojana: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment implements • Nai Roshni scheme aims to empower and enhance confidence among minority women by
the farmers in availing credit, support services, etc. Institutes (ITIs), polytechnics, skill training centers, drinking water supply projects, sadbhav NariArthikSashaktikaran Yojana to support Scheduled Castes, Single Women/Widows to take up income society slowly moving towards more "trans-inclusivity" generating awareness about women rights and interventions for ‘Leadership Development’.
SC,ST,OBC: Data mandaps, market sheds, etc. • Padho Pardesh Scheme: objective of the scheme is to award interest subsidy to meritorious • Scheme for Grant in Aid on Child Labour
• Fight for tribal rights: As witnessed in the Vedanta vs. Posco case, NGOs have raised voice generating activities.
• difficult for them to rise out of • Provision for National Council for Transgender Persons to advise, monitor, and evaluate measures students belonging to economically weaker section of notified minority communities, Educational Children - DATA
against the discrimination of tribals by the multinationals.
poverty. The literacy rate for the protection of their rights. Loans for overseas studies to pursue approved courses of studies abroad at Masters and Ph. D • Stunting has reduced from 38.4%
o For instance, many NGOs have partnered with Gram Panchayat in proper implementation of acts • Pre-Matric Scholarship to the OBCs for studies in India, Post-Matric Scholarship to the OBC for
like Forest Rights Act, CAMPA Act etc. among Dalits is 73.5%, which studies in India, Construction of Hostels for OBC Boys and Girls • Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY) is a maternity benefit program run by the Government of • The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020 levels. to 35.5%, Wasting has reduced
is lower than the national India -- • umbrella scheme “SMILE - Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise” • Nai Manzil scheme - An integrated Education and Livelihood initiative for the Minority from 21.0% to 19.3% and
Samata, a non-governmental organisation closely associated with 10 community-based institutions
average of 80.9% (Census of is a conditional cash transfer scheme for pregnant and lactating mothers of 19 years of age or above for • National Portal for Transgender Persons Communities Underweight prevalence has
in 300 villages of Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts, began to work for the rights • Assistance to Voluntary Organizations for Welfare of OBCs
of the tribal people as it found them being alienated from their lands and exploited by non-tribal India, 2020). the first two live births. reduced from 35.8% to 32.1%.-
people and the state, in contravention of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution and various Central
• Scheme under National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC)
• New Swarnima Scheme for Women Under this scheme, women belonging to backward classes • ‘Nari Shakti Puraskar’ recognises outstanding work in the fields of economic and social empowerment of
• SMILE GARIMA GREH: SHELTER HOMES FOR NFHS 5
and State government laws.
TRANSGENDER PERSONS
living below double the poverty line can obtain loan upto Rs.1,00,000/- @ 5% p.a. women.
• Saksham Scheme This is a special scheme under Term Loan for young professionals belonging
to Backward Classes of the target group. • Transgender certificate & identity card --
• Shilp Sampada Scheme The objective of this scheme is to upgrade the technical and Portal provides the facility for transgender person to apply for certificate and identity card from
entrepreneurial skill of Backward Classes across the country without physical interface through a seamless end to end mechanism
• Scholarships for secondary, senior secondary, under and post graduate education
• the Census (2011) recorded General:
• skill development training programmes which would be: Short Term and long 4,87,803 individuals who • The workers in the unorganized
term Training Programmes identified themselves as being sector constitute
SCHEDULED CASTES/TRIBES WELFARE SCHEMES:
• Central Sector Scheme of 'Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship' for Providing Scholarships to Scheduled Caste Students to
of a sex/gender ‘other’ than about 93% of the total work
persue Programmes in Higher Education such as M.Phil and Ph.D • MEDICAL HEALTH -- male or female.
• Narthaki Nataraj, a renowned
force in the country.
• Scheme of Grant in Aid to Voluntary Organisations working for Scheduled Castes • India's top 10 percent of the
objective of the scheme is to provide health Insurance coverage to all Transgender persons living Bharatnatyam dancer from population holds 77.4 percent
• BABU JAGJIVAN RAM CHHATRAWAS YOJANA (BJRCY) in India to improve their health condition through proper treatment including sex re-assignment Tamil Nadu, was the first of the total national wealth,
surgeries as well as medical support. transgender person to be
for construction of hostels for Scheduled Caste (SC) students while the top 1 percent holds
• NEP 2020 identifies transgender children as Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups4 (SEDGs) conferred with the prestigious 52.53 percent of the wealth.
• Credit Enhancement Guarantee Scheme for the Scheduled and provides for equitable quality education, inter-alia, for all such students. Padma Shri Award in the year • The bottom 60 percent who
• A ‘Gender-Inclusion Fund’ will be constituted under the new policy to build the nation’s capacity 2019. constitute most of the
Castes (SCs) -- to promote entrepreneurship among the scheduled caste population in India. to provide equitable quality education for all girls as well as transgender students. • Hailing from Mumbai, Dr. Aqsa population, hold 4.8 percent of
• Samagra Shiksha scheme: many other major objectives of the redesigned scheme, it effectively is the only transgender
• Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual works towards bridging social and gender gaps in school education along with ensuring equity and specialist in community
the national wealth.
• The total wealth of Indian
inclusion at all levels of school education.
Scavengers (SRMS) -- objective to rehabilitate the remaining manual scavengers and their • Under NISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement), a
medicine. She is a senior
faculty member at Hamdard
billionaires was higher than the
dependents in alternative occupations total Union Budget of India for
nation-wide integrated teacher training programme for teachers under Samagra Shiksha, teachers Institute of Medical Science the fiscal year 2018-19.
Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi (PM- are trained for relevance of Gender Dimensions in Teaching and Learning Process which helps and Research, Delhi (HIMSAR)
teachers to use and adopt learning activities that foster gender sensitive classroom environment.
DAKSH) Yojana-- National Action Plan for skilling of marginalized persons covering SCs, OBCs, EBCs, • The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is imparting skill development training to the
DNTs, Sanitation workers including waste pickers. Transgender beneficiaries of the SMILE Scheme through PM-DAKSH - a skill development scheme
• “SMILE - Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise”, which includes two sub- of the Ministry.
schemes - ‘Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons’ and ‘Comprehensive Rehabilitation of
persons engaged in the act of Begging’. This umbrella scheme would cover several comprehensive measures including Others:
welfare measures for both transgender persons and persons who are engaged in the act of begging with focus In 2016, the Ministry of Railways introduced a third gender column in its reservation form and
extensively on rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities, counseling, education, skill development, economic included transgender as an option in railway ticket forms.
linkages etc with the support of State Governments/UTs/Local Urban Bodies, Voluntary Organizations, Community
Based Organizations (CBOs) and institutions and others.
• PM YOUNG ACHIEVERS SCHOLARSHIP AWARD SCHEME FOR VIBRANT INDIA
FOR OBCs AND OTHERS (PM -YASASVI)
• Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojna (PM-AJAY) --
1. reduce poverty of the SC communities by generation of additional employment
opportunities through skill development, income generating schemes and other
initiatives.
2. To improve socio-economic developmental indicators by ensuring adequate
infrastructure and requisite services in the SC dominated villages.

For social empowerment:

The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955:

• Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989

Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995:

The ‘Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013’ (MS Act, 2013):