Zakir Hussein
New Delhi. The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh stated that Government has proposed to take up a new scheme on a pilot basis, called “Pradhan Mantri Adarsh gram Yojana” (PMAGY) for integrated development 0f 1,000 villages, each having more than 50% SC population. The Prime Minister was speaking at the inaugural session of the Annual Conference of State Ministers of welfare/Social Justice, here today. He further said, “If the pilot scheme is successful we hope to be able to expand the scheme”. PMAGY aims at convergent implementation of various development schemes in these villages, with an additionality of Rs. 10 lakh per village to meet such of its requirements as cannot be met from the existing schemes.
Dr. Manmohan Singh called upon the States to give more attention to enforce vigorously the provision of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. He expressed concern over the conviction rate for cases of atrocities against SCs/STs which is less than 30% against the average of 42% for all cognizable offences under the IPC. He said that meetings of State and district Vigilance and Monitoring Committees should be held regularly and Court cases should be pursued in priority. The Prime Minister also urged the State Governments to step up monitoring and implementation of welfare Schemes like NREGA, “Annapurna”, Old Age Pension Scheme, etc. which target the weaker sections.
Speaking on the Occasion, in his welcome address, Shri Mukul wasnik, Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment emphasised on three pronged approach to enhance social justice and empower the disadvantaged. He said, “First, Government must enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of ongoing programmes for Social Justice and Empowerment through better management, greater use of IT and greater transparency, public participation and accountability”. He further mentioned that secondly, a new and expanded strategic partnership needs to be established between civil society, industry and government in the interests of Social Justice and Empowerment. Government must complement and supplement civil society, harnessing the vast network of non-governmental organizations. He said that the Private Sector must step forward and contribute measurably towards enhancement of Social Justice & Empowerment as part of corporate social responsibilities. “Third, the Government must complement the delivery of programmes with a rights-based approach to social justice. The government must ensure that disadvantaged sections are adequately empowered to demand and ensure the effective delivery of government assistance as well as fight against the social barriers that are the cause of their plight”, he added. The Minister also urged that implementation of existing rights must be strengthened and wherever needed, new rights must be created.
Shri Wasnik informed that the Ministry has initiated the process of amending the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1955 in order to harmonize it with the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. He mentioned that Ministry also proposes to simplify the certification procedure for Persons with Disabilities and Ministry will soon develop a fully accessible website, which will be launched shortly. He urged the State governments to make their websites fully accessible to Persons with Disabilities.
Expressing concern over the continuing incidence of offences of atrocities against Scheduled Caste, the Minister said that Suitable sensitization of Government personnel at various levels is of paramount importance and there is great need to strengthen the enforcement, prosecution and judicial machinery.
Following is the text of the Welcome Speech of the Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment:
It is my proud privilege to welcome the Hon’ble Prime Minister, the Dy. Chairman, Planning Commission, State Ministers of Welfare and Social Justice, representatives of Central Ministries and other participants to this Conference. I am especially grateful to the Hon’ble Prime Minister who has spared his valuable time to inaugurate the Conference and to set the tone for its deliberations. I am also very thankful to the Dy Chairman, Planning Commission for sparing time and agreeing to join us in the inaugural session. We are meeting at an important turning point in our country’s historic struggle for social justice and empowerment. In 62 years of Independence, none can deny the substantial and significant progress made by India in this struggle, while maintaining a democratic order and an open society and squarely meeting challenges from time to time. Since the 1990s, India has joined the ranks of the fastest growing economies in the world. India’s challenge today is: how to sustain high economic growth and ensure that the dividends of high growth are so distributed as to enhance social justice and empower the disadvantage group. The progress in the last five years has been especially noteworthy, with greater allocation of resources for the benefit of the underprivileged sections than has been possible at any previous time.
To ensure that the gains of high economic growth are fully harvested in the cause of building a just society, I believe that our approach has to be well defined so that it can consolidate and build on the considerable achievements of the past and duly take into account the rapidly changing scenario in which we live.
What is needed is a three pronged approach. First, Government must enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of ongoing programmes for social justice and empowerment through better management, greater use of IT and greater transparency, public participation and accountability. Where needed, new programmes will need to be introduced to fill gaps. Second, a new and expanded strategic partnership needs to be established between civil society, industry and government in the interests of social justice and empowerment. Government must complement and supplement civil society, harnessing the vast network of non-governmental organizations. In a rapidly expanding economy, the private sector must step forward and take its due responsibility to ensure that it contributes measurably towards enhancement of social justice and empowerment as part of corporate social responsibility. Third, the Government must complement the delivery of programmes with a rights-based approach to social justice, ensuring that disadvantaged sections are adequately empowered to demand and ensure the effective delivery of government assistance as well as fight against the social barriers that are the cause of their plight. To this end, the implementation of existing rights must be strengthened. In addition, wherever needed, new rights must be created.
There are many urgent steps needed for enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of ongoing programmes. Revision of our Schemes of Post Matric Scholarship for Scheduled Castes and Pre and Post Matric Scholarship schemes for OBC students is in particular long overdue.
Continuing incidence of offences of atrocities against Scheduled Castes is a matter of grave concern for all of us. Suitable sensitization of Government personnel at various levels is of paramount importance. There is need to greatly strengthen the enforcement, prosecution and judicial machinery.
This year, we propose to take up the Pradhan Mantri Adrash Gram Yojana on pilot basis for integrated development of 1000 villages with more than 50% SC population. This programme aims at holistic development of these villages by convergence of all existing schemes. In addition, there is a provision of Rs 10 lakh per village to meet any gas ceiling requirement.
Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 is being implemented over the last fourteen years. With the experience gained in its implementation and to harmonize it with the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, we have initiated the process to amend the Act. We also propose to simplify the certification procedure for persons with disabilities.
Latest technology can help persons with disabilities, especially those with visual disabilities, access to the information through internet. Our Ministry is in the process of developing a fully accessible website, which will be launched shortly. I would request State Governments also to make all their websites fully accessible to persons with disability.
This is an appropriate occasion for us to remind ourselves of the great and historic responsibility that is cast on all of us who are pledged to the cause of social justice. The very first goal for which our great Republic has been established is, as set out in the Preamble to our Constitution, to secure social justice. Article 38 enjoins the State to “promote the welfare of the people by securing and protecting as effectively as it may a social order in which justice, social, economic and political shall inform all the institutions of national life”. These Constitutional imperatives must and will continue to inspire us as we deliberate on the agenda before us.
We are confident that the Hon’ble Prime Minister will extend all possible support to carry forward the mandate of the Ministry in a much bigger and effective manner in order to fulfill the aspirations of the deprived and disadvantaged sections of society. We also hope that enhancement of the allocation of the Ministry, in the near future; will see a marked difference in improving the lives of the disadvantaged sections.
Before I conclude, I once again welcome all of you, and especially the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the Dy. Chairman, Planning Commission for sparing conference, and hope that it will provide an excellent platform for exchange of views and sharing of experiences, and would help in generating ideas so that, together, we can truly serve and empower our disadvantaged brothers and sisters.
