Stretching Hand to the Vulnerable

 What are vulnerable groups ?

• Vulnerable groups are the groups which would be vulnerable under any circumstances (e.g. where the adults are unable to provide an adequate livelihood for the household for reasons of disability, illness, age or some other characteristic), and groups whose resource endowment is inadequate to provide sufficient income from any available source.
• The vulnerable groups that face discrimination 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 multiple barriers due to their multiple identities.

What are the Constitutional provisions for the protection of these groups ?

• Art. 15(4) : Clause 4 of article 15 is the fountain head of all provisions regarding compensatory discrimination for SCs/STs.
• Art. 15 (5) : This clause was added in 93rd amendment in 2005 and allows the state to make special provisions for backward classes or SCs or STs for admissions in private educational institutions, aided or unaided.
• Art. 16(4): This clause allows the state to reserve vacancies in public service for any backward classes of the state that are not adequately represented in the public services.
• Art. 16 (4A): This allows the state to implement reservation in the matter of promotion for SCs and STs.
• Art. 17: This abolishes untouchability and its practice in any form. Although the term untouchability has not been defined in the constitution or in any act but its meaning is to be understood not in a literal sense but in the context of Indian society.
• Art. 19(5): It allows the state to impose restriction on freedom of movement or of residence in the benefit of Scheduled Tribes.
• Art. 23: Under the fundamental right against exploitation, flesh trade has been banned.
• Art. 39: Ensures equal pay to women for equal work.
• Art. 40: Provides 1/3 reservation in panchayat.
• Art. 42: Provides free pregnancy care and delivery.

What are the various schemes to protect these vulnerable sections of society ?

• MWCD implements SwadharGreh Scheme which targets the women victims of unfortunate circumstances who are in need of institutional support for rehabilitation so that they could lead their life with dignity.
• Ujjawala Scheme is being implemented for Prevention of trafficking and for Rescue, Rehabilitation, Re-integration and Repatriation of victims of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation.
• The Ministry is administering Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP) Scheme to provide skills that give employability to women and to provide competencies and skill that enable women to become self-employed/entrepreneurs.
• Government of India has approved for setting up of National Nutrition Mission (NNM) on 30.11.2017, which aims to achieve improvement in nutritional status of Children, pregnant women and lactating mothers and reduce anemia among children and women.
• One Stop Centre (OSC) scheme is being implemented by the Ministry to support women affected by violence w.e.f. 1st April, 2015, which aims to facilitate access to an integrated range of services including medical aid police assistance, legal aid/case management, psychosocial counseling and temporary support services.
• The Ministry also implements the scheme of Universalisation of Women Helpline through States/UTs Government since 1st April, 2015 to provide 24-hour emergency and non-emergency response to women affected by violence. Women Helplines are functional in 28 States.
• Government of India has launched a Central Sector Scheme “Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana (VKY)”. The VKY is broadly a process, which aims at achieving overall development of tribal people through convergence of available resources, with an outcome-based approach, monitored by an independent agency.
• Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS):- Under the Scheme, funds for the welfare of persons with disabilities are provided to the nongovernmental organizations for projects like special schools for disabled, Vocational Training Centres, Half Way Homes, Community Based Rehabilitation Centres, Early Intervention Centres for Disabled and Rehabilitation of Leprosy Cured Persons etc.
• The National Handicapped Finance and development Corporation (NHFDC) provides concessional credit to persons with disabilities for setting up income generating activities for self employment.

By: VISHAL GOYAL