One Year of UPA Government : Major Decisions and Initiatives - Social Justice and Empowerment
	16:19 IST

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT The UPA Government completes one year on May 21, 2005. During this period, the Government has taken several important initiatives. Some of these are being brought out in the series  ‘Major Decisions and Initiatives’. Affirmative Action for SCs and STs                                                                  Building a consensus for voluntary action on the issue of affirmative action including reservations for SCs and STs in the private sector as envisaged in the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) remained one of the major activities of the Social Justice & Empowerment Ministry. The first national dialogue on affirmative action including reservation was held with eminent jurists, economists, intellectuals, educationists, social scientists and administrators. There was unanimity on extension of reservation to the private sector, as participants viewed the reservation not as a dole, but a corrective action. The issue was debated in the Lok Sabha and Members of Parliament demonstrated unanimity irrespective of party affiliations. The Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment held three rounds of discussions with SC/ST Members of Parliament.  As decided by the Group of Ministers on November 3, 2004, the Ministry addressed to Presidents of 218 organisations of trade and industry in the corporate world, and their response has started pouring in. The GoM during its interaction with the representatives of industry and trade called for a definite action plan from them to increase the intake of meritorious SC/ST youth in the private sector.  The globalisation of economy has opened up job opportunities in the private sector and its benefits have to be expanded to the marginal sections. Affirmative Action for Women Twenty-five successful women entrepreneurs belonging to Scheduled Castes, Safai Karamcharis, other backward classes, minorities living below double the poverty line and disabled women were honoured at a special function held for the first time on the occasion of the International Women’s Day this year. The entrepreneurs had been financially assisted by five finance development  corporations of the Ministry.  Meritorious girl students numbering 2,800 belonging to minorities in 22 States were granted scholarships of Rs. 10,000 each. For the first time 300 scholarships were distributed in Jammu & Kashmir.             The scheme of assistance to disabled persons for purchase/fittings of aids and appliances has been amended to ensure at least 25 per cent beneficiaries are women/girl child. Development of Scheduled Castes An expenditure of Rs. 111.31 crore has been made for the implementation of Acts meant for preventing atrocities on Scheduled Castes during the  first three years of X Plan compared to Rs. 56.19 crore for the corresponding period in the previous Plan. A conference of State Governments, NGOs and Human Rights Activists was held to improve the implementation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955.  Encouragement of quality education among SC students has been one of the important areas of focus of the Ministry. More than one crore scholarships are being granted to students belonging to Scheduled Castes during X Plan under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Post Matric Scholarship.  A total allocation of over Rs.3,565 crore has been earmarked for the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for SC students, which has emerged as the biggest scholarship scheme in the country. The National Overseas Scholarship Scheme for SC students pursuing higher studies in Engineering and Science & Technology has been extended upto 2007.  The rates of Annual Maintenance Allowance have also been raised and the family income ceiling entitlement has also been enhanced to Rs, 18,000 per month.       The tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karamchari has been extended from September 1, 2004 to  December 31, 2007. Development of Backward Classes A National Commission has been set up   to identify how best the welfare of socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities, including reservation in education and Government employment can be ensured. Over 61,000 poor persons belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) were financially assisted with provision of loans worth Rs. 93.42 crore at a concessional rate of interest by the National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC) for income generating activities.  NBCFDC participated in the India International Trade Fair in the Capital providing a market platform to its beneficiaries.  Development of Minorities Two Bills, viz., the Constitution (103rd Amendment) Bill, 2004 and the National Commission for Minorities (Repeal) Bill, 2004 have been introduced in the Winter Session (2004) of Parliament to grant Constitutional status to the National Commission for Minorities. Authorised Share Capital of National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) has been enhanced from Rs. 500 crore to Rs. 650 crore to enable the Corporation to more effectively implement its schemes and cover larger number of beneficiaries.  Rs. 73.65 crore were released by the Ministry to the Corporation as an equity support.  The budget of NMDFC has been increased from Rs. 21.29 crore to Rs. 71.9 crore to facilitate its effective functioning. The Maulana Azad Education Foundation provided above Rs. 15 crore to NGOs and local bodies for construction/expansion of buildings of educational institutions for promoting education among minorities.  The number of Scholarships under the Maulana Azad National Scholarship Scheme for Meritorious Girls Students belonging to Minorities has been increased from 1200 to 3000.  A special package of 402 scholarships for Gujarat, in addition to its quota, has been sanctioned. 662 students were provided scholarships of Rs. 6000 each under the revised income limit criteria by the Central Wakf Council and 1035 students were given ad hoc grant of Rs. 3000 each.  For development of Wakf properties, Rs. 1.47 crore was provided as loan. Welfare of Persons with Disabilities The Scheme for providing assistive devices for persons with disabilities (ADIP) witnessed an increased thrust with its extension to uncovered and inaccessible areas.  During the year, 53 camps in various districts of North-eastern states viz. Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim and Mizoram were held, benefiting approximately 4,000 persons with disabilities. An exhibition “Samarthya” for distribution of Aids and Appliances and to provide rehabilitation services was organised in Patna in October 2004. Approximately, 12,000 persons visited the exhibition of which 4,721 persons were given aids/appliances immediately and 4,500 persons have been assessed for providing aids at their District Headquarters. Rs. 9.32 crore were released to hold these camps. Children with disabilities numbering 15.93 lakh have been identified and 10.7 lakh of these children have been enrolled in regular schools. Guidelines for educational facilities to be extended to students with disabilities were issued under Section 30 of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995. Reservation for persons with disabilities in Indian Administrative Service has been provided. Efforts are on to provide for reservation for persons with disabilities in other organised Group A & B services.  A special camp for disabled children was organised by the Ministry in Tanzania during the President’s visit to that country.  Assistive devices worth about Rs. 15 lakh were distributed.  The gesture was greatly acclaimed by the Tanzanians. The headquarters of the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) in the capital has been shifted to a fully barrier- free building, first of its kind in the country. It has been built on the principles of universal design and is accessible to all persons with disabilities including the visually impaired and the hearing impaired. RCI’s Global Websites in Hindi and English with fully accessible features have been launched. The website will be useful for persons with visual impairment and low vision to access the information around the world as per their requirement, i.e. through voice and magnified text. The service is being extended to  persons with speech and hearing and other serious disabilities also. Financial support was provided to State Governments and Union Territory Administrations for creating barrier free environment. Approval has been granted to setting up of National Institute for Persons with multiple disabilities at Chennai Social Defence Child-line Service, a 24 hour free phone help-line service, for children in distress have been extended to 11 more cities bringing their total number to 65.  A “Walk for Health” was held in the capital on the International Day of Older Persons in which more than 2,500 senior citizens participated.  11 distinguished senior citizens were felicitated with “Chirayush Samman” (wishing elders long life) for their contribution in different walks of life.  Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA) issued guidelines to enable uniform procedure for in-country adoptions all over the country. Tsunami Relief The Ministry swiftly organised relief for victims of Tsunami. Approximately 2500 persons were identified and assessed in Tsunami affected areas of Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.   Six Child-line Centres and 24 Sub-Centres were set up for emergency relief and rehabilitation of child victims in the affected areas.  Counselling services  for children were set up in  Cuddalore, Kanyakumari and Nagapattinam districts of Tamil Nadu. A sum of Rs. 11.68 lakh were provided to the Tamil Nadu Government for setting up three children homes for Tsunami affected orphans.  An additional sum of 11 lakh was given to the State Social Advisory Board, Andaman & Nicobar Islands for special care for women specially lactating mothers and children staying in the Tsunami Relief Camps. ***** RK:LV PIB  SF-33 (15.5.2005)