Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections

Vulnerable groups are those groups of society which would be susceptible under any unfavourable situations such as where the adults are not capable to provide a satisfactory living for the household due to health issues like disability, illness, age or some other characteristic, and groups whose resource endowment is poor to provide sufficient income from any available source. In India, there are numerous socio-economic difficulties that members of particular groups experience which limits their access to health and healthcare. For government, it is not an easy task to identify the vulnerable groups. Besides there are multiple and complex factors of vulnerability with different layers and more often than once it cannot be analysed in isolation. There are several conspicuous factors on the basis of which individuals or members of groups are differentiated in India, i.e., structural factors, age, disability and discrimination that act as barriers to health and healthcare. The vulnerable groups that face impartiality include, Women, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Children, Aged, Disabled, Poor migrants, People living with HIV/AIDS and Sexual Minorities. Sometimes, each group faces many obstacles due to their multiple individualities. For example, in a patriarchal civilisation, disabled women have to face double discrimination of being a women and being disabled.

Indian Government, at all levels, announces Welfare Schemes for a cross-section of the society from time to time. These schemes could be either Central, State-specific, or a collaboration between the Centre and the States. India is considered to be a welfare state and the Supreme court termed ‘welfare state’ as an element of the Basic structure. Welfare schemes indicate politics of development. These schemes play a crucial role in solving many socio-economic problems that beset Indian society, and thus their awareness is a must for any concerned citizen. These schemes are more important for vulnerable sections because they experience a higher risk of poverty and social exclusion than the general population.

Vulnerable Sections:

Vulnerable sections constitutes the section of people who are in need of special care. The following section of people can be considered to be vulnerable

• Women due to tradition  and patriarchy (male sex considered to be superior to female in society)
• Scheduled Castes (SC) due to their low social status and oppression due to Caste System
• Scheduled Tribes (ST) due to their economic, educational and social backwardness
• Disabled due to their physical and mental inability to perform activities like other human beings
• Religious minorities due to their backwardness and marginalization compared to the majority religion. For Example  Muslims in India are backward compared to other religions
• Linguistic Minorities due to their exclusion from the rest of society
• Old age persons for their neglect from family and society

There is caste system in India since ancient times and therefore sudras have been browbeaten for the ages. In earlier period, they were deprived of the right to education and thus were left suffering behind, socially and economically. Such people have been categorized into Scheduled Castes. Tribal communities, who never mixed with the main society, are similarly challenged and are categorized into Scheduled Tribes.

Backward Classes: The constitution of India does not define the term backward classes. It is up to the centre and the states to postulate the classes that belong to this group. However, it is assumed that classes that are not signified passably in the services of the state can be termed backward classes. Further, the President can, under Art. 340, can establish a commission to scrutinise the condition of socially and educationally backward classes. Structural standards are attached to the different relationships between the subordinate and the prevailing group in every society. The norms act as structural obstacles giving rise to various forms of disparity.

There are some structural Discrimination Faced by these vulnerable groups. In India, members of gender, caste, class, and ethnic identity experience structural discrimination that has adversely impacted on their health and access to healthcare. Women also face dual discrimination being members of specific caste, class or cultural group apart from experiencing gendered susceptibilities. Women have less control on the resources and on important decisions related to their lives. In India, early marriage and childbearing affects women’s health unfavourably. About 28 per cent of girls in India, get married below the legal age and experience pregnancy (Reproductive And Child Health – District level Household Survey 2002-04, August 2006). These have serious consequences on the health of women. Reports indicated that maternal mortality is at rising trend in India. The average maternal mortality ratio at the national level is 540 deaths per 100,000 live births (National Family Health Survey-2, 2000). It varies between states and regions, i.e., rural-urban. In most cases the deaths occur from avoidable causes. Huge percentage of women are reported to have received no antenatal care. In India, institutional delivery is lowest among women from the lower economic class as against those from the higher class. It has been documented in reports that major proportion of the lower castes and Dalits are still dependent on business and upper class for their living. Dalits does not refer to a caste but suggests a group who are in a state of subjugation, social disability and who are helpless and poor. Earlier, they were called as ‘untouchables’ mainly due to their low jobs i.e., cobbler, scavenger, sweeper. In a caste-dominated country such as India, Dalits who comprises more than one-sixth of the Indian population, stand as a community whose human rights have been sternly dishonoured. Literacy rates among Dalits are very low, about 24 per cent. Their living conditions are very poor or have low access to resources and entitlements. In rural India, they are landless poor agricultural labourers attached to rich landowners from generations or poor casual labourers doing all kinds of available work.

In the metropolitan, they get low level job as wage labourers at several work sites, beggars, vendors, small service providers, domestic help, etc. They live in slums and other temporary shelters without any kind of social security. The members of these groups face systemic violence in the form of disavowal of access to land, good housing, education and employment. Structural discrimination against these groups occurs in the form of physical, psychological, emotional and cultural abuse which receives legitimacy from the social structure and the social system. Physical separation of their settlements is common in the villages forcing them to live in the most unhygienic and inhabitable conditions. All these factors affect their health status, access to healthcare, and quality of health service received. There are high rates of undernourishment reported among the downgraded groups resulting in mortality, morbidity and anaemia. Access to and utilization of healthcare among the marginalized groups is influenced by their socio-economic status within the society.

It is observed that structural discrimination unswervingly obstructs equal access to health services by way of prohibiting. The undesirable attitude of the experts towards these groups also acts as an obstacle to receiving quality services from government. A large proportion of Dalit girls drop out of primary school in spite of reservations and academic aptitude, because of poverty, humiliation, isolation or bullying by teachers and classmates and punishment for scoring good grades (National Commission Report for SC/ST, 2000). The scavenger community among the Dalits is susceptible to stress and diseases with reduced access to healthcare. The Scheduled Tribes like the Scheduled Castes face structural discrimination within the Indian society. Likewise the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes also face marginalization based on ethnicity. There is a desperate need for development of the weaker sections such as the SCs, STs, and OBCs. The SCs, STs and OBCs have been forced to remain as the Weaker Sections of India, and the women confined or oppressed to be the most and multiply exploited sections of the country, for many decades. This worst situation, cannot and should not continue anymore. There is a need for the Government to act to free and unshackle the weaker Sections, from the lethargies of oppression, marginalisation and backwardness. They have to be elevated to the levels of normal human-beings of the world.

Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections

Children

• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA):
  • Government of India’s flagship program for the achievement of Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) in a time-bound manner, as mandated by the 86th amendment to the Constitution.
  • SSA aims to provide relevant elementary education to all children in the age-group 6 to 14 by ensuring 100% enrolment, cent percent retention of children, quality education, and quality infrastructure facilities in the schools.
  • Various activities include reimbursement of school fees to children’s admission under (RTE) Act, distributing free textbooks, teachers’ salaries, special training for mainstreaming out-of-school children among others.
  • SSA is being implemented in partnership with State Governments to cover the entire country and address the needs of 192 million children in 1.1 million habitations.
  • The program seeks to open new schools in those habitations which do not have schooling facilities and strengthen existing school infrastructure.
  • SSA has a special focus on girl’s education and children with special needs.
• Mid-day meal scheme:
  • To tackle the problem of hunger, malnutrition, and school drop out.
  • Under this scheme, nutritious food is served in all government schools for school children.
    
• Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana:
  • The government of India backed a saving scheme targeted at the parents of girl children.
  • The scheme encourages parents to build a fund for future education and marriage expenses for their female child.

Persons with Disabilities

• Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan:
  • Accessible India Campaign or Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan is a program that is launched by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) to serve the differently-able community of the country.
  • The program comes with an index to measure the design of disabled-friendly buildings and human resource policies.
• Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme:
  • To create an enabling environment to ensure equal opportunities, equity, social justice, and empowerment of persons with disabilities.
  • The approach of this Scheme is to provide financial assistance to voluntary organizations to make available the whole range of services necessary for the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.

• Senior citizens:
  •  Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana:
    • This is a scheme offered by the Life insurance Corporation (LIC) of India that gives a guaranteed payout of pension at a specified rate for 10 years.
    • It also offers a death benefit in the form of the return of purchase price to the nominee.
      
  • Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana:
    • It is a scheme for providing physical aids and Assisted Living Devices for Senior Citizens belonging to the BPL category.
    • The Scheme is being implemented through the “Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO)”, a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of SJ&E, as the sole Implementing Agency.

Women

•  Swadhar Greh Scheme:
  • Implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
  • For rehabilitation of women in difficult circumstances.
  • The scheme covers women who are deserted and without any social and economic support, women victims of domestic violence, family tension, and natural disaster.
• Universalization of Women Helpline Scheme:
  • Envisaged to provide 24 hours emergency and non-emergency response to women affected by violence, both in public and private spaces by linking them with appropriate authorities such as police, One Stop Centres, hospital, and legal services.
• One-Stop Centre Scheme:
  • One-Stop Centres for violence-affected women across the country as part of the Nirbhaya Framework, are established with the help of States/UTs for providing legal and psycho-social counseling along with other facilities including temporary shelter, police facilitation, and medical support to the women needing the same under one roof in an integrated manner.

Transgenders

• The Centre had constituted the National Council for Transgender Persons to formulate policies, programs, and draft legislation for the community for achieving equality and full participation by them.
• A Scheme for Promotion of Transgender Equality & Justice(SWEEKRUTI):
  • The Government of Odisha formulated an umbrella scheme ‘Sweekruti’ to secure the rights of transgender persons and ensure equitable justice.
  • It recognizes that transgender persons are subject to discrimination and hardships in society.
  • The main objectives of the scheme are to create an enabling environment for transgender persons, ensure their participation and social integration, strengthen the implementation of various schemes and facilities, and promote measures for employment and socio-educational services for transgender persons.

Poor

• MGNREGA:
  • The major objective of MGNREGS is to enhance employment opportunities and increase wage rates to provide livelihood security for the poor, vulnerable and marginalized leading to a reduction of poverty in rural areas.
  • The data from 2015-16 tells us that about 22 percent of the households depended on MGNREGA as a source of income.
• Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana:
  • The financial inclusion program of the Government of India open to Indian citizens, which aims to expand affordable access to financial services such as bank accounts, remittances, credit, insurance, and pensions.
• Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana:
  • Flagship scheme of the Government of India to extend affordable credit to micro and small enterprises.
• Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana:
  • To provide free access to healthcare for 40% of people in the country.
  • PMJAY aims to provide healthcare to 10.74 crore poor families.
  • Aims to help economically vulnerable Indians who require healthcare facilities.

Street vendors

• PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi):
• To empower street vendors by not only extending loans to them but also for their holistic development and economic upliftment.

Homeless

• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana:
  • Aims to provide houses for the homeless.
  • The government is offering this scheme to all UTs and states.
  • It also offers an interest subsidy for home loans for first-time buyers in urban areas.

Others

• National Social Assistance Programme:
  • It is a welfare program being administered by the Ministry of Rural Development.
  • This program is being implemented in rural areas as well as urban areas.
  • Provides financial assistance to the elderly, widows, and persons with disabilities in the form of social pensions.
• Various state governments also announce their own pension scheme.
• PM-KISAN Scheme:
  • PM Kisan is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% funding from the Government of India.
  • Under the scheme, income support of 6,000/- per year in three equal installments will be provided to small and marginal farmer families having combined landholding/ownership of up to 2 hectares.
  • The fund will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

Welfare Schemes for Disabled

Disability refers to physical and mental incapabilities of people. It arises either because of birth defects or post birth circumstances like accidents, diseases and harm to mental health etc.

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014 (it replaced the earlier 1995 bill) covers the various rights of disabled. Some of its focus areas are

• Providing reservation for disabled in employment and education
• Providing rights and entitlements to disabled persons. For Example, disabled friendly access to all public buildings, hospitals etc.
• It provides guardianship to mentally ill persons
• It has penal provisions for violation

Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharath Abhiyan):

Accessible India Campaign aims at the following broad objectives

• To take steps to promote the design of disabled friendly buildings
• To take measures to improve the Human Resources policies concerning disabled

The measures aimed by this program are given in the chart below

Welfare Schemes for Religious and Linguistic Minorities

National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities 

National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities has the following objectives

• To identify socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities and
• To suggest welfare measures for them

Schemes relating to Religious Minorities

The Government has launched the following welfare measures for minorities

1. Prime Minister’s New 15 point program aims at all round development of minorities including education, employment , conditions of living etc.
2. Nai Manzil Scheme was launched for providing formal education and skill training to youth who are studying in religious minority schools. The program aims at improving their employability in organized sector and to lead better lives.  For Example, Madrasas of Muslims majorly impart religious education.
3. Various scholarship schemes are provided for students from minority communities
4. Central WAKF board has been constituted which are recognized by Muslim personal laws

Schemes relating to Linguistic Minorities

Linguistic minorities have not been defined in the Constitution.

• The Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities appointed under Article 350-B of the Constitution investigates all matters relating to the safeguards provided for them in the Constitution.
• The Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore under Ministry of Human Resource Development is implementing a scheme for protection of languages spoken by less than 10000 people

Welfare Schemes for Older Persons

National Policy for Older Persons: 

National Policy for older persons has the following objectives

• To encourage individuals to make provisions for their own and their spouses old age
• To encourage families to take care of their older family members
• To bring non governmental organizations for caring older persons
• To provide healthcare facility to the elderly
• To create awareness regarding elderly persons and to develop them into fully independent citizens

Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS):

IGNOAPS aims to provide old age pension for persons above the age of 60 years. A pension of Rs 200 per month for beneficiaries aged 60 to 79 and Rs 500 per month for beneficiaries aged 80 years and above is provided under this scheme.

Annapurna:

Senior citizens who are eligible under IGNOPAS but not covered by it will receive 10 kg of free rice every month.

Performance of the welfare schemes:

Positives:

• Basic amenities and infrastructure of many government-run schools were improved through Rashtriya Madhyama, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, and Samagra Siskhana schemes of the Centre.
• 10cr children are fed through the mid-day meal scheme every day, which increased their nutritional outcomes and reduced drop-out rates.
• Cash assistance in the form of PM-KISAN will help low-income families to support their household income and attain self-sufficiency.
• Government economic security programs such as food assistance, housing subsidies, and working-family tax credits — which bolster income, help families afford basic needs and keep millions of children above the poverty line.
• There are also longer-term benefits: they help children to do better in school and increase their earning power in their adult years.
• Economic security programs can blunt the negative effects of poverty and bring poor children closer to equal opportunity.
• Health insurance schemes have been found to improve health outcomes at birth and extend longevity.
• Economic security programs help low-paid or out-of-work families afford the goods and services a child may need to thrive — whether it be nutritious food, a safe home, and neighbourhood, transportation.
• Schemes like Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana can help girls acquire financial security and financial independence.
• The government adequately tackled several diseases such as polio, malaria, and HIV when the target was well-publicized and clear.

Negatives:

• Beneficiary identification:
  • Use of SECC 2011 data which does not truly reflect the ground reality.
  • Sometimes, those in need are left out.
  • The lapses in Beneficiary identification, due to inclusion and exclusion errors.
  • Thus many poor are excluded and many rich attain benefits.
• The inefficiency of executives:
  • The reason for inefficiency can be attributed to improper monitoring, lack of accountability, corruption, and misalignment of incentives.
  • Many scams and irregularities have come up in the implementation of schemes.
  • Lack of policy implementation, diversion of funds, and the failure of monitoring mechanisms.
  • Not involving stakeholders in the policy monitoring process.
  • Lack of awareness about schemes and their benefits.
• Infrastructural issues:
  • Lack of adequate facilities across sectors like health, education, transport, etc further deteriorates the chances of success of welfare schemes.
• Political bias in schemes:
  • Certain schemes are announced considering the political gains and not overall national interest.
  • For example, farm loan waivers across states were criticized by bankers as such practices are not good for the country’s credit culture.
  • Most welfare Schemes have been mainly centered on individual beneficiaries rather than on integrated development.
• Shortage of funds with state governments:
  • 2/3rd of all government expenditure happens at the state or local government level,
  • But they have only 1/3rd of revenue-raising autonomy.
• Underutilization of funds:
  • Due to the lack of proper plans and implementation mechanisms the funds allocated often remain underutilized.
  • For example, Tamil Nadu State Finance Audit Report 2019 revealed that the School Education Department has surrendered a total of Rs 1,627 crore in 2018-19 due to non-implementation of various schemes under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
  • The report on breaking up the funds returned revealed that the State government did not utilize and returned Rs 894 crore meant for developing infrastructure of the schools under the SSA scheme.
• Current economic policies of the government:
  • Largely influenced by globalization and capitalism, are not in conformity with its welfare obligations.
  • The skewed policies relating to the expansion of capitalism, the forceful acquisition of lands from poor peasants, and neglect for the development of agriculture and rural development reflect the above statement.
  • The small scale industries have been devastated by the impact of neo-liberal policies.
  • The agriculture sector is neglected from the focus of economic development
• Inequalities:
  • On the one hand, the economy is growly very fast but its benefit is confined to 10-15% population.
  • The rich-poor divide is increasing continuously
  • The regional disparities have been increased substantially.

Way forward

• Need to change the economic policies with a focussed plan both in terms of expenditure and implementation.
• The policies are made in ministries but implemented at the state, district, and village levels. Hence, there is a need to strengthen grassroots governance.
• Also, proper feedback should be channelized to the policymakers to modify the systemic flaws.
• The need of the hour is to simplify procedures, incentivize performance, reduce red-tape, and make the best use of technology to achieve the desired goals.
• A similar type of central and state schemes can be merged, to ensure better convergence and avoid leakage.
• All the major welfare programs need to be gender-sensitive.
• The government must ensure that no eligible beneficiary is left out and those who don’t require must be removed, by using technology like AI, big data, etc.
• Human development could be achieved only when the fruits of welfare schemes reach eligible beneficiaries.
• India could see growth in many aspects only when the eligible beneficiaries were able to reap the benefits of the welfare scheme introduced by the Union and State governments.