Unit 3:

Unit 3: Sectoral Social Policies and their Implementation in India Social Welfare Policy Introduction Social Policy is the study of social services and the welfare state. In general terms, it looks at the idea of social welfare, and its relationship to politics and society. More specifically, it also considers detailed issues in * Policy and administration of social services, including policies for health, housing, income maintenance, education and social work; * Needs and issues affecting the users of services, including poverty, old age, health, disability, and family policy; and * The delivery of welfare. Welfare is a type of financial or other aid provided to people in need and can take many forms in various countries or contexts. In most developed countries, it is largely provided by the government. It may also be organized by charities; informal social groups; religious groups; or inter-governmental organizations such as the United Nations. Welfare can take a variety of forms, such as monetary payments, subsidies and vouchers, health services, or housing. Welfare can be provided by governments, non-governmental organizations, or a combination of the two. Welfare programs may be funded directly by governments, or in social insurance models, by the members of the welfare scheme. Welfare systems differ from country to country, but welfare is commonly provided to individuals who are unemployed, those with illness or disability, the elderly, those with dependent children, and veterans. A person’s eligibility for welfare may also be constrained by means testing or other conditions. In a more general sense, welfare also means the well-being of individuals or a group – in other words, their health, happiness, safety, prosperity, and fortunes. Subsidy Subsidizing a good is one way of redistributing income to the poor. It is money that is paid usually by a government to keep the price of a product or service low or to help a business or organization to continue to function. In a budget constraint between ‘ all other goods’ and a ‘ subsidized good’, the maximum amount of ‘ all other goods will remain the same but the budget constraint will shift outward for the ‘ subsidized good’ because the cost of the ‘ subsidized good’ is reduced for the consumer and so they have the ability to consume more of said good. Some people do not want to use subsidies because they want the poor to consume the subsidized good or service in a specific way or because subsidizing goods (such as health care) can lead to an over consumption of the good. Voucher A voucher is like a subsidy that can only be consumed in a specific way like a school voucher or section 8 housing. For instance, families who receive school vouchers may only use them to send their children to schools to help pay tuition costs. Schools then exchange the voucher for cash. Similarly, in section 8 housing, families with this voucher can only use the voucher to pay a portion of their living costs in specified units or in a private sector. In a budget constraint between ‘ all other goods’ and a ‘ voucher good’ our budget constraint will shift out parallel to an amount equal to the amount of the voucher but the money we have to spend on ‘ all other goods’ remains capped at the same amount we had to spend before the voucher. Voucher programs can make us worse off because of the cap on our ability to spend on ‘ all other goods’ our indifference curves could limit us. Direct Cash This is straight cash with no restrictions on how it can be consumed. Direct cash causes a bigger budget constraint because the can spend that cash subsidy on all ‘ other goods’ or on a ‘ subsidized good’. Direct cash increases the entire budget constraint and shifts our indifference curves outward allowing us to maximize our utility. Provision and funding Welfare may be provided directly by governments or their agencies, by private organizations, or by a combination. The term welfare state is used to describe a state in which the government provides the majority of welfare services; the phrase also describes those services collectively. Welfare may be funded by governments out of general revenue, typically by way of redistributive taxation. Social insurance-type welfare schemes are funded on a contributory basis by the members of the scheme. Contributions may be pooled to fund the scheme as a whole, or reserved for the benefit of a particular member. Participation in such schemes is either compulsory, or the program is subsidized heavily enough that most eligible individuals choose to participate. Social Welfare: So what is ” social welfare”? Social welfare is about how people, communities and institutions in a society take action to provide certain minimum standards and certain opportunities. It is generally about helping people facing contingencies. Social policy draws on sociology to explain the social context of welfare provision. If we are trying to improve people’s welfare, it is helpful to try to understand something about the way that people are, and how welfare policies relate to their situation. Some writers have gone further, arguing that because welfare takes place in a social context, it can only be understood in that context. This has been particularly important for ‘critical social policy’, which begins from a view of social policy as underpinned by social inequality – particularly the inequalities of class, race and gender. The social structure Societies are ‘structured’ in the sense that people’s relationships follow consistent patterns. Fiona Williams has argued that social policy is dominated in practice by the dominant values of society – the issues of family, work and nation. Family A range of policies are built around the idea of the ‘family’ as a man, woman and children. Examples are child benefits, education and child care. Some countries have policies built on the idea of the man as ‘breadwinner’, with support based on the idea that the marriage is permanent and the woman will not work. Families which deviate from the norm – for example, poor single mothers – are likely to be penalised, though there may also be anomalies in the organisation of benefits (e. g., when promiscuity is accepted and stable cohabitation is not). Work Many systems of social protection depend on a stable work record for basic cover in unemployment, ill health and old age. Workers who misbehave – for example, by striking or being dismissed – may be penalised. Nation Most systems discriminate against non-citizens, and many have residence rules for particular benefits or services. Immigrants are likely to have different, and often second-class, services. Family policy The normal family ” Normal” does not mean ” average”; it means ” conforming to social norms”. The ‘normal’ family consists of two parents with one or more children, but it is increasingly untypical in developed countries. Several factors have contributed to this trend: * ageing populations, which mean that increasing numbers of households consist of elderly people without children; * the delay in undertaking childbirth, which means that more households consist of single women or couples without children; * the growth of single parenthood; and * household fission – the tendency for households to split, because of divorce and earlier independence for children. Social policies sometimes seek to reinforce the normal family, by rewarding normal conduct or penalising ” deviant” (non-normal) circumstances. Rewards include subsidies for married dependants and children; penalties include requirements to support one’s family, and legal and financial deterrents to divorce. At the same time, the assumption that couples live more cheaply than single people may lead to two single people getting greater support: cohabitation rules, treating people living together as if they were married, are used to ensure equity with married couples. Single parents The rise in single parenthood is mainly based on three factors: * Divorce, which has been increasing as women have gained independence in finance and career; * Unemployment. Unemployment is correlated with divorce, partly because it strains the marriage, and partly, perhaps, because it has undermined the role of the traditional male breadwinner. * Cohabitation. This effect is a statistical artefact, rather than a real change in parental status. There is no reason to attribute the rise to teenage motherhood (which, like other forms of motherhood, has tended to fall). The position of single parents who receive social benefits has been controversial. The liberal individualist position is that if people choose to have children it’s then up to them to look after their family. The collectivist position, and to a large extent the dominant position in continental Europe, is that children are other people’s business as well. There is also a strong body of opinion which considers that the interests of the children override any moral concerns about the status of the parents. Teenage pregnancy Teenage pregnancy was the norm in previous generations, but it has become more common for women to delay childbearing. The reasons for the delay, and for falling birthrates, include * the effect of urban society on the cost of having children; * the changing role of women; * the economic effect of female employment, which leads to a loss of income if women leave the labour market to have children; * increasing education and later marriage; and * the availability of contraception. Teenage pregnancy is highest when these factors do not apply to the same degree. This accounts for the apparent association of some social problems with teenage pregnancy. Patterns of work The incorporation of people into the formal labour market has been central both to policies to deal with poverty and exclusion, and to the development of social protection. However, in many circumstances people are only partly integrated into the labour market. Their situation is characterised as * a ” dual labour market”, distinguishing the social position of secure employees on regular pay from others; * ” peripheral” workers, whose role in the economy is more marginal, and who are liable to displacement during economic cycles; and * ” precariousness”, the role of marginal workers who move between casual and part-time work and joblessness. Economic marginality has implications for social inclusion. Unstable economic conditions lead to social instability – marginal employment is associated with family breakdown – while also reducing the level of social protection available. The role of the labour movement Many welfare systems have their origins in collective and mutualist actions by trades unions, professional or occupational groups, rather than the state. Trades unions developed, for example, unemployment benefits in Denmark, social housing in Norway, or the health service in Israel. In France, social protection for unemployment is administered by a ” convention” of employers and trades unions. It is also true that welfare developed historically at a time of social conflict, and labour organisations have had an important role in the development of policy, including Bismarck’s establishment of social insurance and the foundations of the British social services. Marxists have traditionally seen the welfare state as the outcome of struggles by the labour movement. This is only true in part: several measures – like insurance-based pensions in the UK – have developed despite the resistance of organised labour, and others, like the extension of rights to the poorest, have been marked by conflicts between groups. Nation Nations and welfare Nations are seen at times as groups linked by a shared history or culture; as a collective group of people in a specific geographical location, with a common identity; or as political communities. Historically, social welfare became important shortly after the rise of ” nation states”, and in some views the ideas are closely associated. David Miller, for example, argues that the nation is the principal community on which welfare provision depends. National identity is as often used, however, to exclude people from welfare as to promote inclusion, and the influence of nationalism on welfare has tended to be negative. Titmuss criticised the idea of the ” welfare state” because it seemed to limit the scope of welfare to a particular locality. [3] Universalists have promoted an inclusive concept of welfare; in principle, this concept is inclusive, but in practice it tends to be confined to citizens, or members of the political community. Immigration and nationality Immigrants, by definition, come from outside a community; wherever social protection depends on contribution to collective welfare, immigrants are liable to be excluded. Residual income support may be available, but it is unusual for non-contributory benefits, such as benefits for disabled people, to be available directly to immigrants; many countries have some kind of minimum residential qualification. Much immigration consists of movements of people from poorer countries to richer ones: immigrants tend to come with relatively limited resources. Few countries offer immigrants a full range of social protection or benefits, and in the short term this is likely to lead to disadvantage. At the same time, migrants tend to be younger and more mobile than host populations. In the longer term, much depends on the economic niche occupied by immigrant groups, and their relative status and resources. Immigrant careers are highly differentiated. Issues of immigration overlap with racism. However, there are racial minorities who are not immigrants and widely persecuted (like the Roma in central and Eastern Europe), and some immigrant groups are not disadvantaged. Social stratification Class Class is an ambiguous term, used in three main senses. Economic position. Max Weber defined class in terms of relative economic position. There are obviously economic differences between people depending on how much money they have, but there are also many other economic groups – it is possible to distinguish people, for example, according to employment status, or the kind of income they have (such as fees, salaries, and social benefits). One classic analysis uses housing tenure as the basis for different classes. Productive relations. Marxists understand class in terms of the economy. The main distinction in Marxism falls between those who own the means of production and those who sell their labour, but if the basic criterion is accepted there must be other classes: the petit bourgeoisie, who own small shops and firms, or the underclass (Marx’s ‘lumpenproletariat’) who are marginal to the labour market. Occupational status. Classifying people by occupational status has proved very useful in sociological analyses of other issues, including educational disadvantage and health inequalities. Status Weber describes status as a form of ‘social honour’ or esteem. People’s social rank is associated with their class, but the terms are not equivalent; some social roles may have high esteem but low resources (like clerics). The receipt of welfare has often been associated with social dishonour: the classic example of this is the ” stigma of pauperism”, the deliberate use of shame to stop people claiming from the Poor Law. The recipients of welfare are socially rejected; they are liable to be portrayed, like the pariahs of a caste system, as immoral, dishonest and dirty. [4] Social policies tend to be concerned disproportionately with people of low status. In part, this happens because the client groups of the social services tend to be people who already have low social esteem – the poor, disabled people, mentally ill people, single parents and so on. In part, too, the receipt of social services may carry a stigma. The principle of institutional welfare was intended to remove degrading differences in status between recipients. Power Power is complex; it can be used to refer to direct force, influence, or authority. Any of these is distributed unequally in society. * Pluralist models see power as diffused, in the hands of many; no one group has the power consistently to sway decisions (although this does not mean that power is equally distributed in society). * Elitist models of power represent power as concentrated in the hands of a few people: they include – a ruling élite, a small number of people able to make all the important decisions; – power élites. Wright Mills suggests that economic, political and military elites are distinct. [5] Other writers have pointed to bureaucratic, aristocratic, social , religious and local élites. The more there are, the more pluralistic the model becomes. * Corporatist models interpret the exercise of power as the domination of established corporate interests. Power is exercised in complex hierarchies. Power can be exercised overtly, but it may also be exercised in ways which are difficult to detect. Bachrach and Baratz argue that there may be non-decisions, which maintain the status quo through ” a decision that results in the suppression or thwarting of a latent or manifest challenge to the values or interests of the decision makers.” [6] Examples are delays, lack of interest in such subjects, and failure to respond to problems. Social divisions Gender and social policy Social roles, or expectations, determine the range of opportunities for women and men. Understanding gender divisions is important for social policy, partly because issues affecting women are part of the agenda which social policy must tackle, but also because many of the concerns of social welfare – like poverty, health and old age – are related to gender. Feminist critiques of welfare have argued that social policy is strongly ‘gendered’. Jane Lewis [7] has suggested that, although the dominant models of welfare all assume that women are dependent on a male breadwinner, there are important variations: * a strong ‘male breadwinner’ model supposes that women’s incomes are secondary to men’s. This is the model in the UK and Ireland. * a modified model gives women a special status in relation to motherhood. This is the model in France. * a weak male breadwinner model allows for women to act as breadwinners in the same way as men. This is the pattern in Sweden, where there have been attempts to introduce a ‘dual breadwinner’ pattern. Where assumptions are made about the position of women, this tends to reinforce women’s inferior status and dependency. Where special provisions are not made, however, this tends to undermine the levels of protection which women receive if they have not earned income on the same basis as men. Widespread inequality in wages and conditions of work mean that ‘gender-blindness’ in social protection can only perpetuate inequalities. Race and social policy ‘Race’ has no fixed meaning. Although some commentators identify race closely with skin colour, the experience of racism is not confined to colour: the groups in Europe which experience the strongest rejection are probably gypsies and Muslims. Racial discrimination refers to the deliberate use of adverse selection as a means of putting people from particular racial or ethnic groups in an inferior position, but deliberate discrimination is not necessary to explain much racial disadvantage; the effect of denying access to the resources, opportunities and conditions of life available to others is to make the experience of disadvantage worse. Although issues of ‘race’ and racism feature largely in many discussions of the sociology of welfare, it is more difficult to point directly to policies which are directly concerned with race in intention and effects. Exceptions are the racialised ideas behind German Nazism, or the apartheid régime in South Africa, which offered different types and standards of social services to ‘whites’, ‘blacks’, ‘Asians’ and ‘coloureds’. More typically, policies concerned with ‘race’ are developed more obliquely. The American ‘War on Poverty’ in the 1960s, or the UK Urban Programme, addressed perceived racial problems through other means. The War on Poverty, which was instituted at the same time as civil rights legislation, has been represented as principally concerned to co-opt African Americans into the political process. Discussions of ‘poverty’ in the US are often still covertly racial in intent. The ‘Urban Programme’ in the UK was a desultory response to a notoriously inflammatory speech by Enoch Powell, which coded such terms as ‘inner cities’ as a euphemism for race. The effect of working in code, of course, was that the problems of racial minorities were hardly addressed by the programme. Social problems Social policies can be seen as collective responses to social problems. A problem is social when it is socially recognised: important issues like grief and emotional distress are not necessarily ‘social’, and there may be no social policies to deal with them. Conversely, other, seemingly minor, concerns and complaints can be elevated to the status of social problems, and acted on – dealing with ‘NIMBY’ protests (‘not in my back yard’) bedevils community care provision. Problems are ‘socially constructed’. People’s values, beliefs and opinions are conditioned by the society they live in, and people come to share many basic perceptions. This can shape the way people think about issues, and close off some options: so, child abuse is usually constructed as the result of parental abnormality, and not as the obvious outcome of rules which allow children to be beaten physically. Deviance Deviance refers to a breach of social rules, or ‘norms’. Normal behaviour is behaviour within these rules. There are many possible explanations for deviance. The main schools of thought include * genetic views. This is based on the idea that some social traits are inborn. The gene pool changes very little over time; this would imply a relatively static proportion of problems, and continuity between generations. Neither is consistent with the evidence. * sub-cultural views. There is an argument that people become deviant because they are part of deviant sub-cultures. They have different values, beliefs and patterns of behaviour, formed in adapting to different social circumstances. * functional explanations. Societies have to define what is acceptable and what is not. Lévi-Strauss argues for example that the ban on incest is functionally necessary, and that is why it is so common. [10] * interactionist views. Some sociologists have argued that deviance is the result of social definitions. Lemert distinguishes primary deviance (the deviant act) from secondary deviance (the identification of the person as deviant). [11] ‘Labelling theory’ goes further, attributing deviance to the creation of rules by society. * structural views. This attributes deviance to the social structure, including family, community and economy. For example, increasing crime has been linked with unemployment (though falls in unemployment have not been matched by falls in crime rates). The literature on deviance includes material not just on crime, but on many other issues which are seen as ‘problematic’, such as disability, sexuality and illegitimate births. NATIONAL POLICY FOR THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN (2001) Introduction The principle of gender equality is enshrined in the Indian Constitution in its Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles. The Constitution not only grants equality to women, but also empowers the State to adopt measures of positive discrimination in favour of women. Within the framework of a democratic polity, our laws, development policies, Plans and programmes have aimed at women’s advancement in different spheres. From the Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-78) onwards has been a marked shift in the approach to women’s issues from welfare to development. In recent years, the empowerment of women has been recognized as the central issue in determining the status of women. The National Commission for Women was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1990 to safeguard the rights and legal entitlements of women. The 73rd and 74th Amendments (1993) to the Constitution of India have provided for reservation of seats in the local bodies of Panchayats and Municipalities for women, laying a strong foundation for their participation in decision making at the local levels. India has also ratified various international conventions and human rights instruments committing to secure equal rights of women. Key among them is the ratification of the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1993. The Mexico Plan of Action (1975), the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies (1985), the Beijing Declaration as well as the Platform for Action (1995) and the Outcome Document adopted by the UNGA Session on Gender Equality and Development & Peace for the 21st century, titled ” Further actions and initiatives to implement the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action” have been unreservedly endorsed by India for appropriate follow up. The Policy also takes note of the commitments of the Ninth Five Year Plan and the other Sectoral Policies relating to empowerment of Women. The women’s movement and a wide-spread network of non-Government Organisations which have strong grass-roots presence and deep insight into women’s concerns have contributed in inspiring initiatives for the empowerment of women. However, there still exists a wide gap between the goals enunciated in the Constitution, legislation, policies, plans, programmes, and related mechanisms on the one hand and the situational reality of the status of women in India, on the other. This has been analyzed extensively in the Report of the Committee on the Status of Women in India, ” Towards Equality”, 1974 and highlighted in the National Perspective Plan for Women, 1988-2000, the Shramshakti Report, 1988 and the Platform for Action, Five Years After- An assessment” Gender disparity manifests itself in various forms, the most obvious being the trend of continuously declining female ratio in the population in the last few decades. Social stereotyping and violence at the domestic and societal levels are some of the other manifestations. Discrimination against girl children, adolescent girls and women persists in parts of the country. The underlying causes of gender inequality are related to social and economic structure, which is based on informal and formal norms, and practices. Consequently, the access of women particularly those belonging to weaker sections including Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/ Other backward Classes and minorities, majority of whom are in the rural areas and in the informal, unorganized sector — to education, health and productive resources, among others, is inadequate. Therefore, they remain largely marginalized, poor and socially excluded. Goal and Objectives The goal of this Policy is to bring about the advancement, development and empowerment of women. The Policy will be widely disseminated so as to encourage active participation of all stakeholders for achieving its goals. Specifically, the objectives of this Policy include (i) Creating an environment through positive economic and social policies for full development of women to enable them to realize their full potential (ii) The de-jure and de-facto enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedom by women on equal basis with men in all spheres — political, economic, social, cultural and civil (iii) Equal access to participation and decision making of women in social, political and economic life of the nation (iv) Equal access to women to health care, quality education at all levels, career and vocational guidance, employment, equal remuneration, occupational health and safety, social security and public office etc. (v) Strengthening legal systems aimed at elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (vi) Changing societal attitudes and community practices by active participation and involvement of both men and women. (vii) Mainstreaming a gender perspective in the development process. (viii) Elimination of discrimination and all forms of violence against women and the girl child; and (ix) Building and strengthening partnerships with civil society, particularly women’s organizations. Policy Prescriptions Judicial Legal Systems Legal-judicial system will be made more responsive and gender sensitive to women’s needs, especially in cases of domestic violence and personal assault. New laws will be enacted and existing laws reviewed to ensure that justice is quick and the punishment meted out to the culprits is commensurate with the severity of the offence. At the initiative of and with the full participation of all stakeholders including community and religious leaders, the Policy would aim to encourage changes in personal laws such as those related to marriage, divorce, maintenance and guardianship so as to eliminate discrimination against women. The evolution of property rights in a patriarchal system has contributed to the subordinate status of women. The Policy would aim to encourage changes in laws relating to ownership of property and inheritance by evolving consensus in order to make them gender just. Decision Making Women’s equality in power sharing and active participation in decision making, including decision making in political process at all levels will be ensured for the achievement of the goals of empowerment. All measures will be taken to guarantee women equal access to and full participation in decision making bodies at every level, including the legislative, executive, judicial, corporate, statutory bodies, as also the advisory Commissions, Committees, Boards, Trusts etc. Affirmative action such as reservations/quotas, including in higher legislative bodies, will be considered whenever necessary on a time bound basis. Women—friendly personnel policies will also be drawn up to encourage women to participate effectively in the developmental process. Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective in the Development Process Policies, programmes and systems will be established to ensure mainstreaming of women’s perspectives in all developmental processes, as catalysts, participants and recipients. Wherever there are gaps in policies and programmes, women specific interventions would be undertaken to bridge these. Coordinating and monitoring mechanisms will also be devised to assess from time to time the progress of such mainstreaming mechanisms. Women’s issues and concerns as a result will specially be addressed and reflected in all concerned laws, sectoral policies, plans and programmes of action. Economic Empowerment of women Poverty Eradication Since women comprise the majority of the population below the poverty line and are very often in situations of extreme poverty, given the harsh realities of intra-household and social discrimination, macro economic policies and poverty eradication programmes will specifically address the needs and problems of such women. There will be improved implementation of programmes which are already women oriented with special targets for women. Steps will be taken for mobilization of poor women and convergence of services, by offering them a range of economic and social options, along with necessary support measures to enhance their capabilities Micro Credit In order to enhance women’s access to credit for consumption and production, the establishment of new, and strengthening of existing micro-credit mechanisms and micro-finance institution will be undertaken so that the outreach of credit is enhanced. Other supportive measures would be taken to ensure adequate flow of credit through extant financial institutions and banks, so that all women below poverty line have easy access to credit. Women and Economy Women’s perspectives will be included in designing and implementing macro-economic and social policies by institutionalizing their participation in such processes. Their contribution to socio-economic development as producers and workers will be recognized in the formal and informal sectors (including home based workers) and appropriate policies relating to employment and to her working conditions will be drawn up. Such measures could include: Reinterpretation and redefinition of conventional concepts of work wherever necessary e. g. in the Census records, to reflect women’s contribution as producers and workers. Preparation of satellite and national accounts. Development of appropriate methodologies for undertaking (i) and (ii) above. Globalization Globalization has presented new challenges for the realization of the goal of women’s equality, the gender impact of which has not been systematically evaluated fully. However, from the micro-level studies that were commissioned by the Department of Women & Child Development, it is evident that there is a need for re-framing policies for access to employment and quality of employment. Benefits of the growing global economy have been unevenly distributed leading to wider economic disparities, the feminization of poverty, increased gender inequality through often deteriorating working conditions and unsafe working environment especially in the informal economy and rural areas. Strategies will be designed to enhance the capacity of women and empower them to meet the negative social and economic impacts, which may flow from the globalization process. Women and Agriculture In view of the critical role of women in the agriculture and allied sectors, as producers, concentrated efforts will be made to ensure that benefits of training, extension and various programmes will reach them in proportion to their numbers. The programmes for training women in soil conservation, social forestry, dairy development and other occupations allied to agriculture like horticulture, livestock including small animal husbandry, poultry, fisheries etc. will be expanded to benefit women workers in the agriculture sector. Women and Industry The important role played by women in electronics, information technology and food processing and agro industry and textiles has been crucial to the development of these sectors. They would be given comprehensive support in terms of labour legislation, social security and other support services to participate in various industrial sectors. Women at present cannot work in night shift in factories even if they wish to. Suitable measures will be taken to enable women to work on the night shift in factories. This will be accompanied with support services for security, transportation etc. Support Services The provision of support services for women, like child care facilities, including crèches at work places and educational institutions, homes for the aged and the disabled will be expanded and improved to create an enabling environment and to ensure their full cooperation in social, political and economic life. Women-friendly personnel policies will also be drawn up to encourage women to participate effectively in the developmental process. Social Empowerment of Women Education Equal access to education for women and girls will be ensured. Special measures will be taken to eliminate discrimination, universalize education, eradicate illiteracy, create a gender-sensitive educational system, increase enrolment and retention rates of girls and improve the quality of education to facilitate life-long learning as well as development of occupation/vocation/technical skills by women. Reducing the gender gap in secondary and higher education would be a focus area. Sectoral time targets in existing policies will be achieved, with a special focus on girls and women, particularly those belonging to weaker sections including the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/Other Backward Classes/Minorities. Gender sensitive curricula would be developed at all levels of educational system in order to address sex stereotyping as one of the causes of gender discrimination. Health A holistic approach to women’s health which includes both nutrition and health services will be adopted and special attention will be given to the needs of women and the girl at all stages of the life cycle. The reduction of infant mortality and maternal mortality, which are sensitive indicators of human development, is a priority concern. This policy reiterates the national demographic goals for Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) set out in the National Population Policy 2000. Women should have access to comprehensive, affordable and quality health care. Measures will be adopted that take into account the reproductive rights of women to enable them to exercise informed choices, their vulnerability to sexual and health problems together with endemic, infectious and communicable diseases such as malaria, TB, and water borne diseases as well as hypertension and cardio-pulmonary diseases. The social, developmental and health consequences of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases will be tackled from a gender perspective. To effectively meet problems of infant and maternal mortality, and early marriage the availability of good and accurate data at micro level on deaths, birth and marriages is required. Strict implementation of registration of births and deaths would be ensured and registration of marriages would be made compulsory. In accordance with the commitment of the National Population Policy (2000) to population stabilization, this Policy recognizes the critical need of men and women to have access to safe, effective and affordable methods of family planning of their choice and the need to suitably address the issues of early marriages and spacing of children. Interventions such as spread of education, compulsory registration of marriage and special programmes like BSY should impact on delaying the age of marriage so that by 2010 child marriages are eliminated. Women’s traditional knowledge about health care and nutrition will be recognized through proper documentation and its use will be encouraged. The use of Indian and alternative systems of medicine will be enhanced within the framework of overall health infrastructure available for women. Nutrition In view of the high risk of malnutrition and disease that women face at all the three critical stages viz., infancy and childhood, adolescent and reproductive phase, focussed attention would be paid to meeting the nutritional needs of women at all stages of the life cycle. This is also important in view of the critical link between the health of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women with the health of infant and young children. Special efforts will be made to tackle the problem of macro and micro nutrient deficiencies especially amongst pregnant and lactating women as it leads to various diseases and disabilities. Intra-household discrimination in nutritional matters vis-à-vis girls and women will be sought to be ended through appropriate strategies. Widespread use of nutrition education would be made to address the issues of intra-household imbalances in nutrition and the special needs of pregnant and lactating women. Women’s participation will also be ensured in the planning, superintendence and delivery of the system. Drinking Water and Sanitation Special attention will be given to the needs of women in the provision of safe drinking water, sewage disposal, toilet facilities and sanitation within accessible reach of households, especially in rural areas and urban slums. Women’s participation will be ensured in the planning, delivery and maintenance of such services. Housing and Shelter Women’s perspectives will be included in housing policies, planning of housing colonies and provision of shelter both in rural and urban areas. Special attention will be given for providing adequate and safe housing and accommodation for women including single women, heads of households, working women, students, apprentices and trainees. Environment Women will be involved and their perspectives reflected in the policies and programmes for environment, conservation and restoration. Considering the impact of environmental factors on their livelihoods, women’s participation will be ensured in the conservation of the environment and control of environmental degradation. The vast majority of rural women still depend on the locally available non-commercial sources of energy such as animal dung, crop waste and fuel wood. In order to ensure the efficient use of these energy resources in an environmental friendly manner, the Policy will aim at promoting the programmes of non-conventional energy resources. Women will be involved in spreading the use of solar energy, biogas, smokeless chulahs and other rural application so as to have a visible impact of these measures in influencing eco system and in changing the life styles of rural women. Science and Technology Programmes will be strengthened to bring about a greater involvement of women in science and technology. These will include measures to motivate girls to take up science and technology for higher education and also ensure that development projects with scientific and technical inputs involve women fully. Efforts to develop a scientific temper and awareness will also be stepped up. Special measures would be taken for their training in areas where they have special skills like communication and information technology. Efforts to develop appropriate technologies suited to women’s needs as well as to reduce their drudgery will be given a special focus too. Women in Difficult Circumstances In recognition of the diversity of women’s situations and in acknowledgement of the needs of specially disadvantaged groups, measures and programmes will be undertaken to provide them with special assistance. These groups include women in extreme poverty, destitute women, women in conflict situations, women affected by natural calamities, women in less developed regions, the disabled widows, elderly women, single women in difficult circumstances, women heading households, those displaced from employment, migrants, women who are victims of marital violence, deserted women and prostitutes etc. Violence against women All forms of violence against women, physical and mental, whether at domestic or societal levels, including those arising from customs, traditions or accepted practices shall be dealt with effectively with a view to eliminate its incidence. Institutions and mechanisms/schemes for assistance will be created and strengthened for prevention of such violence , including sexual harassment at work place and customs like dowry; for the rehabilitation of the victims of violence and for taking effective action against the perpetrators of such violence. A special emphasis will also be laid on programmes and measures to deal with trafficking in women and girls. Rights of the Girl Child All forms of discrimination against the girl child and violation of her rights shall be eliminated by undertaking strong measures both preventive and punitive within and outside the family. These would relate specifically to strict enforcement of laws against prenatal sex selection and the practices of female foeticide, female infanticide, child marriage, child abuse and child prostitution etc. Removal of discrimination in the treatment of the girl child within the family and outside and projection of a positive image of the girl child will be actively fostered. There will be special emphasis on the needs of the girl child and earmarking of substantial investments in the areas relating to food and nutrition, health and education, and in vocational education. In implementing programmes for eliminating child labour, there will be a special focus on girl children. Mass Media Media will be used to portray images consistent with human dignity of girls and women. The Policy will specifically strive to remove demeaning, degrading and negative conventional stereotypical images of women and violence against women. Private sector partners and media networks will be involved at all levels to ensure equal access for women particularly in the area of information and communication technologies. The media would be encouraged to develop codes of conduct, professional guidelines and other self regulatory mechanisms to remove gender stereotypes and promote balanced portrayals of women and men. Operational Strategies Action Plans All Central and State Ministries will draw up time bound Action Plans for translating the Policy into a set of concrete actions, through a participatory process of consultation with Centre/State Departments of Women and Child Development and National /State Commissions for Women. The Plans will specifically including the following: – i) Measurable goals to be achieved by 2010. ii) Identification and commitment of resources. iii) Responsibilities for implementation of action points. iv) Structures and mechanisms to ensure efficient monitoring, review and gender impact assessment of action points and policies. v) Introduction of a gender perspective in the budgeting process. In order to support better planning and programme formulation and adequate allocation of resources, Gender Development Indices (GDI) will be developed by networking with specialized agencies. These could be analyzed and studied in depth. Gender auditing and development of evaluation mechanisms will also be undertaken along side. Collection of gender disaggregated data by all primary data collecting agencies of the Central and State Governments as well as Research and Academic Institutions in the Public and Private Sectors will be undertaken. Data and information gaps in vital areas reflecting the status of women will be sought to be filled in by these immediately. All Ministries/Corporations/Banks and financial institutions etc will be advised to collect, collate, disseminate and maintain/publish data related to programmes and benefits on a gender disaggregated basis. This will help in meaningful planning and evaluation of policies. Institutional Mechanisms Institutional mechanisms, to promote the advancement of women, which exist at the Central and State levels, will be strengthened. These will be through interventions as may be appropriate and will relate to, among others, provision of adequate resources, training and advocacy skills to effectively influence macro-policies, legislation, programmes etc. to achieve the empowerment of women. National and State Councils will be formed to oversee the operationalisation of the Policy on a regular basis. The National Council will be headed by the Prime Minister and the State Councils by the Chief Ministers and be broad in composition having representatives from the concerned Departments/Ministries, National and State Commissions for Women, Social Welfare Boards, representatives of Non-Government Organizations, Women’s Organisations, Corporate Sector, Trade Unions, financing institutions, academics, experts and social activists etc. These bodies will review the progress made in implementing the Policy twice a year. The National Development Council will also be informed of the progress of the programme undertaken under the policy from time to time for advice and comments. National and State Resource Centres on women will be established with mandates for collection and dissemination of information, undertaking research work, conducting surveys, implementing training and awareness generation programmes, etc. These Centers will link up with Women’s Studies Centres and other research and academic institutions through suitable information networking systems. While institutions at the district level will be strengthened, at the grass-roots, women will be helped by Government through its programmes to organize and strengthen into Self-Help Groups (SHGs) at the Anganwadi/Village/Town level. The women’s groups will be helped to institutionalize themselves into registered societies and to federate at the Panchyat/Municipal level. These societies will bring about synergistic implementation of all the social and economic development programmes by drawing resources made available through Government and Non-Government channels, including banks and financial institutions and by establishing a close Interface with the Panchayats/ Municipalities. Resource Management Availability of adequate financial, human and market resources to implement the Policy will be managed by concerned Departments, financial credit institutions and banks,   private sector, civil society and other connected institutions. This process will include: (a) Assessment of benefits flowing to women and resource allocation to the programmes relating to them through an exercise of gender budgeting. Appropriate changes in policies will be made to optimize benefits to women under these schemes; (b) Adequate resource allocation to develop and promote the policy outlined earlier based on (a) above by concerned Departments. (c) Developing synergy between personnel of Health, Rural Development, Education and Women & Child Development Department at field level and other village level functionaries’ (d) Meeting credit needs by banks and financial credit institutions through suitable policy initiatives and development of new institutions in coordination with the Department of Women & Child Development. The strategy of Women’s Component Plan adopted in the Ninth Plan of ensuring that not less than 30% of benefits/funds flow to women from all Ministries and Departments will be implemented effectively so that the needs and interests of women and girls are addressed by all concerned sectors. The Department of Women and Child Development being the nodal Ministry will monitor and review the progress of the implementation of the Component Plan from time to time, in terms of both quality and quantity in collaboration with the Planning Commission. Efforts will be made to channelize private sector investments too, to support programmes and projects for advancement of women Legislation The existing legislative structure will be reviewed and additional legislative measures taken by identified departments to implement the Policy. This will also involve a review of all existing laws including personal, customary and tribal laws, subordinate legislation, related rules as well as executive and administrative regulations to eliminate all gender discriminatory references. The process will be planned over a time period 2000-2003. The specific measures required would be evolved through a consultation process involving civil society, National Commission for Women and Department of Women and Child Development. In appropriate cases the consultation process would be widened to include other stakeholders too. implementation of legislation would be promoted by involving civil society and community. Appropriate changes in legislation will be undertaken, if necessary. In addition, following other specific measures will be taken to implement the legislation effectively. (a) Strict enforcement of all relevant legal provisions and speedy redressal of grievances will be ensured, with a special focus on violence and gender related atrocities. (b) Measures to prevent and punish sexual harassment at the place of work, protection for women workers in the organized/ unorganized sector and strict enforcement of relevant laws such as Equal Remuneration Act and Minimum Wages Act will be undertaken, (c) Crimes against women, their incidence, prevention, investigation, detection and prosecution will be regularly reviewed at all Crime Review fora and Conferences at the Central, State and District levels. Recognised, local, voluntary organizations will be authorized to lodge Complaints and facilitate registration, investigations and legal proceedings related to violence and atrocities against girls and women. (d) Women’s Cells in Police Stations, Encourage Women Police Stations Family Courts, Mahila Courts, Counselling Centers, Legal Aid Centers and Nyaya Panchayats will be strengthened and expanded to eliminate violence and atrocities against women. (e) Widespread dissemination of information on all aspects of legal rights, human rights and other entitlements of women, through specially designed legal literacy programmes and rights information programmes will be done. Gender Sensitization Training of personnel of executive, legislative and judicial wings of the State, with a special focus on policy and programme framers, implementation and development agencies, law enforcement machinery and the judiciary, as well as non-governmental organizations will be undertaken. Other measures will include: (a) Promoting societal awareness to gender issues and women’s human rights. (b) Review of curriculum and educational materials to include gender education and human rights issues (c) Removal of all references derogatory to the dignity of women from all public documents and legal instruments. (d) Use of different forms of mass media to communicate social messages relating to women’s equality and empowerment. Panchayati Raj Institutions The 73rd and 74th Amendments (1993) to the Indian Constitution have served as a breakthrough towards ensuring equal access and increased participation in political power structure for women. The PRIs will play a central role in the process of enhancing women’s participation in public life. The PRIs and the local self Governments will be actively involved in the implementation and execution of the National Policy for Women at the grassroots level. Partnership with the voluntary sector organizations 16. 1 The involvement of voluntary organizations, associations, federations, trade unions, non-governmental organizations, women’s organizations, as well as institutions dealing with education, training and research will be ensured in the formulation, implementation, monitoring and review of all policies and programmes affecting women. Towards this end, they will be provided with appropriate support related to resources and capacity building and facilitated to participate actively in the process of the empowerment of women. International Cooperation The Policy will aim at implementation of international obligations/commitments in all sectors on empowerment of women such as the Convention on All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD+5) and other such instruments. International, regional and sub-regional cooperation towards the empowerment of women will continue to be encouraged through sharing of experiences, exchange of ideas and technology, networking with institutions and organizations and through bilateral and multi-lateral partnerships. Backward Classes Welfare WELFARE OF BACKWARD CLASSES, SCHEDULED CASTES/SCHEDULED TRIBES & SOCIAL WELFARE Article 246 of the constitution of India has entrusted the state with the responsibility of promoting the economic & educational interest of the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes. Despite constitutional provisions and sustained efforts at the national and the state level to improve the conditions of the scheduled castes and to bring all round improvements in their living and working conditions, they are still characterized by below poverty line, low income occupations such as agricultural labourers, bonded labourers, dependence on subsistence farming, poor assets, high rate of unemployment and gripped in many civil & social disabilities, low level of literacy, miserable living and poor working conditions etc. According the census 2001, out of the total population of 565. 07 lakhs, 96. 64 lakh are scheduled castes, which is 17. 16 percent of the total population of the state. In the state, the responsibility of upliftment of the disadvantaged sections is provided to the Social Welfare Department. Social Welfare Department is mainly engaged in activities/ programmes for the educational, economic & social development of the disadvantaged sections of the society. The activities of the department are grouped in two major sectors, which are as follows:- – Social Welfare Sector:- It includes programmes/ schemes for destitute/neglected and other deprived groups of children/women and welfare of handicapped etc. – Welfare of Backward Classes:- It includes schemes/ programmes relating to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, nomadic & denotified tribes and other backward classes. The programmes of these groups are mainly divided into four broad categories:- – Educational Development:- It includes hostels, residential schools and other educational schemes. – Economic Development:- It includes scheduled caste sub plan, economic upliftment of SC, ST, disabled, scavengers, OBC through respective cooperative corporations. – Social Development:- It includes welfare of disabled/handicapped and implementation of Juvenile Justice Act. – Social Security:- It includes pension to old age, infirm, widow, handicapped and protection of civil rights and prevention of activities. 26. 5 State Government has introduced many new programmes during the Tenth Five Year Plan for the weaker section. An expenditure of Rs. 358. 46 crores is likely to incur during the Tenth Five Year Plan on various schemes against original outlay of Rs. 209. 17 crores. | The goal of the department is to ensure better opportunities for the poor B. C’s to utilize educational facilities, to eradicate poverty, and eliminate current inequalities that prevent the Backward Classes form realizing their full potential thus establishing a just and egalitarian society. Objectives * To increase access to education to persons belonging to BC Communitites. * To provide quality education to meritorious BC Students pursuing studies at prematriculation Level. * To promote higher education and impart quality education on par with general students. * To reimburse tuition fees. * To provide coaching facilities to eligible BC Students. Services 1. Hostel facilities for BC (Pre – matriculation) students. This department provides free boarding and lodging facilities to Backward Class children, through a total of 1429 hostels, of which 1104 are for BC Boys and 325 are for BC Girls. Of these 1415 are for BC hostels & 14 hostels for de – notified tribes. Generally, the sanctioned strength is 100. Admission of boarders Percentage of caste composition BCs – 76%, (A-21%, B-31%, C-3%, D-21%). SCs-10%, STs-5%, Minorities -3% others – 6%. In the above hostels 1, 72, 786 boarders are provided with free boarding and lodging. There is a uniform schedule in all these hostels for day -to-day academic and other routine activities. Also there is a uniform menu for all the hostels at the rate of Rs. 338/- p. m for 3 rd to 7 th Class boarders, and Rs 412/- p. m for 8 th to 10 th Class boarders. The Department also bears the expenditure for soap and oil @ Rs. 20/- per boy p. m. and Rs. 25/- per girl p. m as cosmetic charges. 2 pairs of dresses along with bedding material, trunk boxes, plates & glasses are also given to the hostel boarders as per the existing budget facilities. 2. Residential Schools There are 30 Residential Schools for Backward Classes (19 Boys & 11 Girls) under the administrative control of AP Residential Educational Institutions Society, Hyderabad , funded by the Department of Backward Classes Welfare. 3. Post matriculation Scholarships In order to promote higher education and impart quality education on par with general students, this department awards residential & nonresidential Post matriculation Scholarships to students belonging to Backward Classes at all levels of post matriculation Courses in Cases where the parents’ annual income does not exceed Rs. 1, 00, 000/- per annum. Vide G. O. Ms. No. 18 Govt. have issued certain guidelines for sanction of Post Matric Scholarships and Reimbursement of Tuition Fee.   In the G. O. Govt. have agreed for sanction of Post Matric Scholarships and Reimbursement of Tuition Fee and Special Fees to the eligible category “ A” (convenor quota) BC students on saturation basis on par with Social Welfare Department from the year2008-09. Five Banks have been identified as Nodal Banks for this purpose. They are State Bank of India, State Bank of Hyderabad, Andhra Bank, Syndicate Bank and Indian Bank. Based on the principle of “ One Institution — One Bank”, all the students of an Institution shall have to open their Bank accounts only in the Bank attached to their Institution. Youth Policy and Programme of India Definition of Youth This Policy will cover all the youth in the country in the age group of 13 to 35 years. It is acknowledged that since all the persons within this age group are unlikely to be one homogenous group, but rather a conglomeration of sub-groups with differing social roles and requirements, the age group may, therefore, be divided into two broad sub-groups viz. 13-19 years and 20-35 years. The youth belonging to the age group 13-19, which is a major part of the adolescent age group, will be regarded as a separate constituency The objectives of the National Youth Policy are: 1. to instill in the youth, at large, an abiding awareness of, and adherence to, the secular principles and values enshrined in the Constitution of India, with unswerving commitment to Patriotism, National Security, National Integration, Non-violence and Social Justice; 2. to develop Qualities of Citizenship and dedication to Community Service amongst all sections of the youth; 3. to promote awareness, amongst the youth, in the fields of Indian history and heritage, arts and culture; 4. to provide the youth with proper educational and training opportunities and to facilitate access to information in respect of employment opportunities and to other services, including entrepreneurial guidance and financial credit; 5. to facilitate access, for all sections of the youth, to health information and services and to promote a social environment which strongly inhibits the use of drugs and other forms of substance abuse, wards off disease (like HIV/AIDS), ensures measures for de-addiction and mainstreaming of the affected persons and enhances the availability of sports and recreational facilities as constructive outlets for the abundant energy of the youth; 6. to sustain and reinforce the spirit of volunteerism amongst the youth in order to build up individual character and generate a sense of commitment to the goals of developmental programmes; 7 to create an international perspective in the youth and to involve them in promoting peace and understanding and the establishment of a just global economic order; 8. to develop youth leadership in various socio-economic and cultural spheres and to encourage the involvement of Non-Governmental Organizations, Co-operatives and Non-formal groups of young people; and 9. to promote a major participatory role for the youth in the protection and preservation of nature, including natural resources, to channelise their abundant energies in community service so as to improve the environment and foster a scientific, inquisitive reasoning and rational attitude in the younger generation and to encourage the youth to undertake such travel excursions as would better acquaint them with cultural harmony, amidst diversity, in India, and overseas. The Policy recognizes the following areas as key sectors of concern for the youth: Education; Training and Employment; Health and Family welfare; Preservation of Environment, Ecology and Wild life; Recreation and Sports; Arts and Culture; Science and Technology; and Civics and good Citizenship. The areas of focus of this Policy, in so far as health of the youth is concerned, are: General Health; Mental Health; Spiritual Health; AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Substance Abuse; and Population Education. This Policy will accord priority to the following groups of young people: Rural and Tribal Youth; Out-of-school Youth; Adolescents’ particularly female adolescents; Youth with disabilities; Youth under especially difficult circumstances like victims of trafficking; orphans and street children The Policy envisions the following implementation mechanism: All Ministries/Departments of the Union Government and the State Governments, particularly in the social sector will strive to make identifiable allocations in their budgets for youth development programmes. A broad based National Committee on Youth Policy and Programmes is contemplated to review and assess various programmes and schemes focusing on youth. It will also advise the Government on measures for implementation of the Plan of Action.