WELFARE DEPARTMENTS

SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT (BACKWARD CLASS WING)

 Organisation.

The Backward Class Department is now redesignated as the Social Welfare Department.

The new Social Welfare Department was constituted from 1st November 1956. It was formerly on a Directorate level (vide Government Resolution, Labour and Social Welfare Department, No. BCE. 2857-D, dated 23rd September 1957). The Backward Class Welfare work done previously by the Backward Class Department is now done by the Backward Class Wing of the Social Welfare Department. The other Wing of the Social Welfare Department is the Correctional Wing. The designation of the Director of Backward Class Welfare is now changed to Director of Social Welfare who is the head of the Social Welfare Department of the Maharashtra State. He is assisted by a Joint Director of Social Welfare—an I. A. S. Officer of senior grade—who looks after the Backward Class Welfare work. The post of the Chief Inspector of Certified Schools and Institutions is redesignated as Deputy Director of Social Welfare (Correctional Wing) and this officer assists the Director of Social Welfare in matters relating to the Correctional Wing. A third post of Deputy Director has also been created under the Social Welfare Department to look after the work other than that of Backward Class Welfare and Correctional Wing. These two posts are Class I posts. The Backward Class Wing of the Social Welfare Department aims at ameliorating the conditions of Backward Classes so that they reach the standards of other privileged sections of the society as quickly as possible.

There are no divisional offices at present. However, there are Regional Officers. The final set-up of the department after the re-organisation of States is still (July, 1959) under consideration of Government. At the district level, the department has district officers now termed as Social Welfare Officers who are of the status of second grade mamlatdars. They execute the schemes implemented by the Social Welfare Department and co-ordinate the work of Backward Class Welfare in the district in respect of Backward Class Welfare schemes implemented by the various departments of the State.

Backward Classes.

The classification of backward classes is made into three broad categories, viz., (1) The Scheduled Castes or Harijans, (2) the Scheduled Tribes or Adivasis, and (3) the other Backward Classes, who are neither Scheduled Castes nor Scheduled Tribes but socially, economically and educationally are as backward as the other two categories. The communities coming under the first two categories are notified by the Government of India under the orders of the President, for each of the States in the Indian Union. The communities coming under Other Backward Classes were recognised by the State Government as per Government Resolution. Labour and Social Welfare Department. No. OBC. 1759-E, dated 18-5-1959. This class of other Backward Classes based previously on the basis of communities has now been abolished and a new category of Other Backward Classes based on income (annual income less than Rs. 900) has been created.

It is the policy of Government to ameliorate the conditions of backward classes so as to bring them in line with other sections of the population. A number of privileges have also been granted to backward classes by the Constitution of India, and special grants are also being paid every year by Government of India, under Article 275 (i), for ameliorating the conditions of backward classes. Besides normal concessions made available to backward classes from time to time, special schemes have been framed for them by the State Government under the Five-Year Plans and these are being implemented vigorously.

Measures for Uplift.

The disabilities of the Backward Classes are threefold: Educational, economic and social. Government has, therefore, launched a three-pronged attack with the object of eliminating these disabilities within the shortest possible time.

Education.

Education is encouraged by offering a large number of scholarships, general concession of free studentships to Backward Class students, grant of lump-sum scholarships for purchase of books and stationery, etc., and payment of examination fees, provision for hostel facilities, etc., for backward class students studying at all stages of education—primary, secondary and collegiate. Special Ashram schools for Scheduled Tribes, Sanskar Kendras and Balwadis are also opened for the spread of education amongst Backward Classes, With effect from 1st November, 1950, 12 per cent of the vacancies in Class I and Class II posts in State Service are reserved for Backward Classes. Vacancies in Class [II and Class IV services are reserved for various sections as follows:—

Measures for Uplift.

 Reservation of posts in State Service.

The maximum age limits prescribed for appointment to Class III and IV services and posts under the relevant recruitment rules are relaxahle by five years in favour of backward class candidates.

Economic Rehabilitation.

Economic rehabilitation is mainly effected by (i) grant of cultivable waste lands and other facilities for rehabilitating backward classes in agriculture, (ii) establishing training centres for imparting training in hereditary crafts and providing financial help for their rehabilitation in various cottage industries, (iii) imbibing the co-operative spirit in their day-to-day life by giving them all facilities provided by the State under co-operative activity with special additional concessions and safeguards for Backward Classes. (iv) introducing special measures for housing of backward classes, (v) reserving certain percentage of vacancies for backward classes in services under State Government and local bodies and under semi-Government organisations.

Social Welfare.

The activity under this head is designed to remove the stigma of untouchahility in respect of Scheduled Castes, assimilation of Scheduled Tribes in the general population without destroying then hereditary traits and rehabilitation of ex-criminal tribes and nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes from among the category of other Backward Classes. Legislation as well as propaganda through voluntary agencies are used as the means to achieve this object.

Social Uplift.

Measures have been taken to ensure the social uplift of the . Backward Classes, especially Harijans. The Bombay Harijan (Removal of Social Disabilities) Act (X of 1946) and the Bombay Harijan Temple Entry Act (XXXV of 1947) as amended in 1948 have been enacted with a view to bringing about the complete removal of untouchability as far as public and civic rights are concerned. The Bombay Devadasis Protection Act (X of 1934) has declared unlawful the performance of any ceremony having the effect of dedicating girls as devadasis. The devadasis were usually members of the Backward Classes.

The Backward Class Department has to see that the policy of Government is fully implemented in day-to-day administration.

Mention may be made here of the Untouchability Offences Act, 1955. passed by the Government of India to stop the practice of observance of untouchability.

With the liberal assistance of the Central Government under Article 275 (i) of the Constitution of India, amounting to 50% of the expenditure by State Government, various measures are undertaken by the State Government for the uplift of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Vimukta Jatis and other Backward Classes under the Second Five-Year Plan. These measures are framed after taking into consideration the needs of these sections of Backward Classes and, with a view to achieving their economic uplitt. settlement and removal of their social disabilities. The Second Five-Year Plan provides for a programme of Backward Class Welfare for which a total outlay of Rs. 4.50 crores has been made. Besides this, Government of India has also sponsored on cent pet-cent basis a special programme amounting to Rs. 3.27 crores for the welfare of Backward Classes in the then Bombay State which includes the opening of seven multipurpose projects in Scheduled Areas of the State, along with other measures for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Vimukta Jatis.

In the implementation of these Backward Class Welfare measures, advice and co-operation are also sought from the eminent social workers and voluntary organisations through the State Board for Harijan Welfare, the State Tribes Advisory Council and the District Backward Class Sub-Committees of the District Development Board in each district.

The following institutions have been established in the district for the welfare of Backward Classes:—

Hostels.

(1) Hostels.—There are ten hostels run by voluntary agencies in the district:-—

Housing.

(2) Co-operative Housing Societies.—There are ten co-operative housing societies in the district.

1. Backward Class Housing Society under Post-War Reconstruction Scheme;

2, Backward Class Jai Hind Housing Society, Kurhe;

3. Nagafaleota Backward Class Co-operative Housing Society, Nagatakta;

4. Savda Backward Class Housing Society, Savda, taluka Raver;

5. Hambardi Deenbandhu Backward Class Housing Society, Kurhe;

6. Jag-Jivanram Backward Class Housing Society, Bhusawal;

7. Kurhe Jai Bhim Backward Class Co-operative Housing Society, Kurhe,
          Edlabad Peta;

8. Harijan Co-operative Housing Society, Gondkhed; 9. Jalgaon Mehtar Utkarsha
          Co-operative Housing Society, Jalgaon; and

10. Siddhartha Backward Class Housing Society, Bambori.

Farming.

(3) Co-operative Farming Societies.—

1. Co-operative Farming Society, Chalisgaon.

2. Co-operative Farming Society, Edlabad.

Others.

(1) Industrial School: There is an industrial school sanctioned under the Backward Class Welfare programme, known as the Government Industrial Training Centre for Vimukta Jatis, Jalgaon.

(2) There are six forest labourers' societies.

(3) There are two training schools: (1) Government Leather-working school at Bhusawal, (2) Government Post-Training Production Centre in Tanning and Leather Work, Chalisgaon.

(4) Ashram schools: (1) Ashram school, Pal, taluka Raver, for Scheduled Tribes, (2) Ashram school, Erandol, for Vimukta Jatis.

(5) Sanskar Kendras: (1) Sanskar Kendra, Paldhi, taluka Raver, (2) Sanskar Kendra, Khiroda, (3) Sanskar Kendra, Jalgaon, for nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes.

(6) Balwadis: (1) Balwadi, Bhusawal, (2) Balwadi, Jalgaon.

(7) There is one Tailoring Class for women belonging to nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes at Jalgaon.

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