OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES

SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT

SOCIAL WELFARE.

At the Secretariat level the new Department of Social Welfare was constituted immediately after the reorganisation of States, i.e. from 1st November, 1956 with a separate Minister for Social Welfare. At the Directorate level a new Department of Social Welfare was constituted on September 15, 1957. [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 carried out by the reconstituted Social Welfare Department. The duties performed by the Chief Inspector of Certified Schools have also been transferred to the reconstituted Directorate. The designation of the Director of Backward Class Welfare has been changed to the Director of Social Welfare who is the head of the Social Welfare Department. The post of the Chief Inspector of Certified Schools and Institutions is redesignated as the Deputy Director of Social Welfare (Correctional Wing). He assists the Director of Social Welfare in matters relating to the Correctional Wing. There are three Deputy Directors who look after the work relating to (i) the education and rehabilitation of physically handicapped, (ii) propaganda, research and statistics and (iii) sanitation and scavenging schemes. In addition to this, there is one Personal Assistant, one Statistical Officer and one Special Officer to look after the work regarding scholarships to post—S. S. C. students. The backward class wing of the Social Welfare Department aims at ameliorating the conditions of backward classes so that they reach the standard of other sections of the society as quickly as possible.

Organisation.

There are Divisional Social Welfare Officers for each revenue division of the State. Since 1st April 1965 a post of Special Officer in class II and a post of Social Welfare Inspector in class III has been attached to each Division for implementation of the recommendations of the Scavengers Living Conditions Enquiry Committee.

The Divisional Social Welfare Officers are class I officers. At the district level, the Department has District Officers termed as Social Welfare Officers who are class II officers. 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. In respect of tribal welfare work in Vidarbha region, there are seven Area Organisers who are in charge of certain zones. They are also class II officers of the status of the Social Welfare Officers. They look after the tribal welfare schemes in their respective zones. Besides this, there is one Nomadic Tribes Welfare Officer each at Pune and Auranga-bad who looks after the welfare of Nomadic Tribes of Pune and Auranga-bad divisions. Since 1964-65, one Vimukta Jati Welfare Officer each at Bombay and Nagpur have been appointed for the welfare of vimukta jatis. These offices attached to divisions now look after the work relating to nomadic tribes as well as vimukta jatis for the respective division. Due to democratic decentralization, implementation of schemes for the welfare of backward classes has been transferred to Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis with effect from May 1, 1962.

A Tribal Research Unit was established at Pune, in 1961-62 with the object of carrying research into the traits and characteristics of the tribals and their problems so that the tribal welfare programme could be fashioned to serve their needs. This Unit is headed by one Chief Research Officer who is assisted by two Research Officers and four Investigators and other necessary ministerial staff.

Backward Classes.

The backward classes are classified into three main categories viz., (1) the scheduled castes or harijans, (2) the scheduled tribes or adivasis and (3) the other backward classes who are socially and educationally backward. The communities coming under the first two categories are notified by the Government of India under the orders of the President. The communities coming under the category of other backward classes include:—

(a) Nav-Buddhas i.e., scheduled castes converted to Buddhism.

(b) Tribals residing outside the scheduled and specified areas of Vidarbha.

(c) Nomadic Tribes and

(d) Vimukta Jatis i.e., Denotified communities.

A number of privileges have 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 the amelioration of backward classes. Besides, normal concessions are made available to backward classes from time to time and special schemes have been framed for backward classes by the State Government under the Five Year Plans and these are being implemented vigorously.

Various measures of uplift.

It is the policy of the Government to ameliorate the conditions of backward classes so as to bring them on par with the advanced sections of the community. With this in view, the Government takes threefold measures covering education, economic rehabilitation and social welfare.

In the field of education the Government offers a large number of scholarships and concessions in fees to the students belonging to backward classes at all stages of education—primary, secondary and collegiate. Special attention is paid to the education of population belonging to the scheduled tribes, the nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes and the vimukt jatis.

Towards economic rehabilitation of backward classes measures are taken to imbibe co-operative spirit in them, to provide vocational training and other facilities, to supply them with capital and other tools and equipment required for small occupations and agricultural implements.

Towards social welfare the Government have undertaken to remove the stigma of untouchability in respect of scheduled castes and assimilation of scheduled tribes in general population without destroying their hereditary traits. Government also does propaganda in this respect through the agency of voluntary organisations.

All these social, economic and educational measures taken by Government, will go a long way in eradication of untouchability with the educational and economic uplift of the backward classes.

The disabilities of backward classes are three-fold viz., educational, economic and social. The Government have, therefore, launched a three-fold programme with the object of eliminating these disabilities within the shortest possible time.

Education.

This is encouraged by instituting a large number of scholarships, universal concessions of free studentships and payment of examination fees, etc. Provisions for hostel facilities, special ashram schools for scheduled tribes, vimochit jatis and nomadic tribes and sanskar kendras and balwadis for scheduled castes, vimochit jatis and nomadic tribes have been made with a view to spreading education amongst the backward classes.

Economic Rehabilitation.

This is mainly effected by (i) grant of cultivable waste lands and assistance for development of land, bunding, supply of ploughs, bullocks, implements, seeds, etc., with a view to rehabilitating backward classes in agriculture, (ii) establishing centres for imparting training in hereditary crafts and providing financial help for their rehabilitation in various cottage industries and (iii) imbibing co-operative spirit among them and reserving certain percentage of vacancies for backward classes in services under State Government and local bodies and under the semi-Government organisations.

Social Welfare.

The activity under this head is designed to remove the stigma of untouchability in respect of scheduled castes, bringing the scheduled tribes to the level of the general population without destroying their hereditary traits and rehabilitation of ex-criminal tribes and nomadic tribes in gainful and stable avocations. Legislation as well as propaganda through the medium of voluntary agencies are the means used to achieve this objective. The Untouchability Offences Act of 1955, passed by the Government of India prohibits observance of untouchability in any form.

Financial assistance is made available by the Central Government under Article 275 (i) of the Constitution of India to the extent of 100 per cent of the expenditure incurred under Centrally Sponsored Programme and 75 per cent and 50 per cent of the expenditure incurred on educational and other than educational schemes respectively under the State Five Year Plan. The Third Five Year Plan of the Maharashtra State, had provided Rs. 5.81 crores for welfare of backward classes. Under the Centrally Sponsored Programme an outlay of Rs. 306.40 lakhs has been provided for Maharashtra State. Under this programme scholarships are being awarded to backward class students studying in post-S. S. C. courses, 40 Tribal Development Blocks have been opened, Forest Labourers Co-operative Societies are being assisted, a Tribal Research Unit is being maintained, assistance is being sanctioned for construction of houses for sweepers and scavengers and purchase of wheel barrows and hand carts for the removal of night soil. The entire programme for the welfare of vimukta jatis is also being financed under the Centrally Sponsored Programme.

So far as Wardha district is concerned the district level activities and schemes implemented for the welfare of backward classes are given in what follows.

Administrative set-up under the Zilla Parishad.

In accordance with the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961, the subject ' welfare of backward classes' has been entrusted to the Standing Committee of the Zilla Parishad. The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Parishad is the ex-officio secretary and the Social Welfare Officer is the Joint Secretary of this committee. The President of the Zilla Parishad acts as Chairman of the Standing Committee. Of the total population of 6,34,277 of Wardha district, 15,143 souls belong to Scheduled Castes, 95,635 are Nav-Budd-has and 71,839 are Tribals residing outside the specified areas. The population of vimukta jatis and Nomadic Tribes is estimated to be at 6,200 and 8,750, respectively.

Educational Schemes.

The expenditure incurred during the years 1963-64, 1964-65 and 1965-66 on major educational schemes for all backward classes is given below:—

Measures for Economic uplift.

There are 17 hostels for backward classes, 6 cosmopolitan hostels, 3 balwadis and 5 sanskar kendras in the district.

In order to improve the economic conditions of backward classes a number of schemes have been introduced. The major economic uplift schemes pertain to grant of loan-cum-subsidy for propagation of improved agricultural implements, for cottage industries and professions and for purchase of milch cattle.

The expenditure incurred on these schemes during the years from 1963-64 to 1965-66 is given below:—

*L = Loan. S = Subsidy.

Housing and Other Schemes.

Scarcity of drinking water in rural areas is acute. Construction of Health, drinking water wells in or near backward class localities has therefore been accorded very high priority.

Similarly, housing condition of backward classes is also not very satisfactory. Under the scheme of housing aid to backward classes, an amount of Rs. 100 is paid in cash or kind for carrying out repairs to houses of backward class people. Under individual housing scheme a subsidy limited to Rs. 750 per house is given, the balance being raised by the beneficiary from his own resources. The expenditure incurred on wells, housing and other schemes during the years from 1963-64 to 1965-66 is given below:—

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