Social Welfare: Empowering Vulnerable Community with Government Schemes-UPSC

Social welfare is system of programs, policies and services formulated to boost well being and quality of life to the persons and societies in society. The major aim of social welfare is to solve and ease out different social problems such as poverty, unemployment, disability and inequality. Social welfare programs are usually run by government alongside non-profit organizations and community activities to aid those in need with funds, medical care, schooling, shelter, and other necessities. The aim would be to establish a safety net that will aid the vulnerable groups, facilitate equal chances, and even help to enhance the general welfare of people in the society. Social welfare embodies the passion towards social justice and strives to organize a more inclusive and more equitable society, satisfying a wide range of requirements and challenges of the members of the society.

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Social welfare means help from the government or society to improve people’s lives. The aim of social welfare is to create a better and fair society. Labour and social welfare work together. Social Welfare is one of the most important topics for the UPSC IAS exam. It covers a significant part of the sociology subject in the General Studies Paper-1 syllabus and General Studies Paper II of the UPSC Prelims syllabus.

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What is Social Welfare?

The Indian Constitution envisages that there is a welfare state in such a manner that they provide political, social and economical justice among the citizens. It will also seek to attain these using different schemes and programs and especially among the vulnerable groups of the society. 

Role of Government in Social Welfare

The government takes a leading force in offering social welfare benefits. It assists the poor and backward communities.

Constitutional Supporting of Social Welfare

• Social welfare in India is put forward by the Indian Constitution.
• Article 38 legislates the state to facilitate welfare of the people.
• Article 39 requests from everybody equal pay and good health.
• Article 41 entitles working, education and support in old age.
• Maternity relief and fair work conditions are guaranteed in article 42.

These rules demonstrate the significance of the labour and social welfare in India.

Now what can be considered is each part of the society which usually forms the margins and needs the intervention of welfare schemes:

• Unorganised Sector
• Scheduled Castes
• Scheduled Tribes
• Backward Classes
• Financial Inclusion
• Minority Welfare
• Differently-abled welfare
• Women and Child Development
• Welfare of Senior Citizen
• Rural Poverty alleviation
• Urban Poverty Reduction

Liberation Of Government Schemes That Empower Various Vulnerable Strata

Various ministries have launched schemes to give justice to various helpless groups of Indian Society. So, let us look at some of these:

The Unorganised Sector Welfare Schemes

To uplift the condition of the workers, there is the Unorganized Workers Social Security Act 2008 created by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. This act envisages the formation of the National Social Security Board which assists in the development of social security schemes which include:

• Disability and Life Cover
• Anthropometry and Maternity Grid
• Old age Protection

Scheduled Castes Welfare Schemes

The Government of India has already taken a number of steps in order to empower Scheduled Castes. Such initiatives are:

• Educational Empowerment -The scholarships are given to students of pre-metric level to PhD programs and coaching to students willing to take up higher studies.
• National Scheduled Class Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) - Financial help to Below Poverty Line living persons.
• National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) - Financial aid for safai karamcharis, manual scavengers, and their dependents.
• Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan (SCSP) - States/UTs must formulate special component plans (SCP) and earmark funds for the execution of the plan.
• Venture Capital Fund - Promotes entrepreneurship amongst the Scheduled Castes, with IFCI Limited as the nodal agency.
• Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 - Declares untouchability a punishable offence.
• Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY) - Initiated in 2015 to provide holistic development in villages with more than 50% scheduled caste population.

Welfare Schemes for Scheduled Tribes

• Provision of educational scholarships.
• Annual grants by the Central Government to State governments under Article 275(1).
• Provision of Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produce.
• Promotion of tribal culture through support for Tribal Research Institutes and tribal festivals.

Welfare Schemes for Backward Classes

Various schemes are in existence to boost the welfare of the Backward Classes. These include:

• Empowerment through Education - Pre-metric to Higher by means of scholarships.
• Mahila Samridhi Yojana - Offers microfinance to women businesspersons.
• Swarnima Special Scheme - It encourages self reliance among women.
• Aid to Voluntary Organization for the welfare of OBCs - Encourages the participation of National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC) to the upliftment of the socio-economic status of the Backward Class and the beginning of an income-generating activity.

Welfare Schemes for Minority Community

Government of India, has brought in number of schemes to develop the Minority Community. These include:

• Nai Roshni - A scheme for women to provide leadership development training.
• Scholarship Schemes - From pre-metric to higher education, for students belonging to minority communities.
• Seekho Aur Kamao - Aims to provide skill development.
• Jiyo Parsi - A scheme to arrest the decline of the Parsi population.
• Minority Cyber Gram - Introduces digital literacy skills among minorities.

Welfare Schemes for Differently Abled

A number of programs have been initiated in the favor of the Differently-abled persons. These include:

• Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan - Aims to provide persons with disability better access to transportation, Information, and Communication.
• Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) - Ensures equal opportunities and social justice to people with disabilities.

Welfare Schemes for Senior Citizens

Several schemes have been launched for senior citizens. These include:

• Vayoshreshtha Sammans - Provides national awards for senior citizens for rendering services to elderly persons.
• Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme - Provides social assistance for senior citizens.

Welfare Schemes for Women and Child Development

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana - A maternity benefit programme.

Urban Poverty Alleviation Schemes

The Government has several poverty reduction schemes in the urban locales. Part of the schemes include:

• PMAY- Aims at housing of all.
• Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - It will offer self-employment and skilled wage jobs.

Rural Poverty Alleviation Schemes

Several schemes aim to alleviate poverty in rural areas. These include:

• National Rurban Mission (NRuM) - Aims to stimulate economic development in villages.
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Aims to provide housing for all.

Learn about MUDRA Yojna here

Conclusion

Social welfare is a very strong means to create the just and powerful society. It assists the poor, women, children, elderly and labourers. The government innovates by way of laws, schemes and support systems in order to better every life. It is a combination of labour and social welfare that secures the workers and makes them feel good. When education, health care, jobs and safety are accorded to people, the entire nation benefits. It helps also meet the objectives of equality and justice in India. High welfare system ensures that a country is peaceful and developed. All Indians should enjoy full social welfare in order to construct future world.

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