Aug 25, 2003
POVERTY
ALLEVIATION AND INCOME GENERATING SCHEMES
for
SC, ST, OBC,
MINORITIES AND WOMEN
N Manohara Prasad
Govt of India at the
Center, took up the task of the Nation as whole, with all seriousness, after
Independance. Govt set up a Planning
Commission at the Centre, amidst many opposition, resentments and
criticisms. The Party in Power,
Congress appeared to be fully committed for the Development of the Nation,
Welfare of the Society as a whole, and all Sections of the Society. That appeared to be inevitable in a
Democracy, and a Republic. Moreover,
the Congress Party during the Freedom Movement and after, had been in all
Public Statements, championing the cause of the Weaker Sections like the SCs&STs,
Minorities, OBCs and Women. And Special
Provisions had also been made in the Constitution, for the Development of the
Poor and the Weak in the Country.
Further, many specific Provisions have been incorporated in the
Constitution for the Welfare, Development and Protection of different Weaker
Sections of the Society, like SCs, STs, Minorities, OBCs and Women.
The Constitutional
Promises and Guarantees, and Legal Protections for the SCs&STs were
followed by the Congress Govts, with Reservations in Services. This has helped a good number of them in
different regions to participate in different spheres of National Activities,
Development, Administration and Governance, where Reservations have been
allowed to operate.
The Scientific
Socialistic Development and Justice oriented Modern Vision of Jawaharlal Nehru,
the first Prime Minister of India, and his choice to go in for Planned
Development through Five-Year Plans, laid a great emphasis in Developing all
the Weaker Sections. In addition,
Special Programmes and Schemes were also taken for the Welfare, Growth and
Development of many SCs, STs, Minorities, OBCs and Women from amongst them, as
well as other Women. These helped, to
improve the standards of the lives of the Weaker Sections, in a Nation where
they were otherwise marginalised, neglected and oppressed, depending on the
situation.
NEED FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE WEAKER SECTIONS the SCs
STs OBCs and MINORITIES
The SCs STs OBCs and Minorities, have been forced to
remain as the Weaker Sections of India, and the Women confined or oppressed to
be the most and multiply exploited sections of the Country, for nearly four
millenniums. This bad situation, can not and
should not continue anymore. Definitely
not in the Twenty-first Century of the third millennium, in an age of fast
travel and mass communication.
There is a need for the
Govts to do something special and tangible, to free and liberate the Weaker
Sections, from the cobwebs of oppression, marginalisation and
backwardness. They have to be uplifted
to the levels of normal human-beings of the World.
THE THEN PRIME MINISTER JAWAHARLAL NEHRUS VIEWS
The need to Develop the
Weaker Sections, and the sensitivity with which appropriate Policies have to be
adopted, can be better appreciated by what Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime
Minister of the Nation, wrote on 9th Oct 1958 regarding Development
of the STs.
We can not allow
matters to drift in the Tribal Areas, or just not take interest in them. In the World of today, that is not possible
or desirable. At the same time, we
should avoid over-administrating these areas, and in particular, sending too
many outsiders into Tribal Territory.
It is between these two
extreme positions that we have to function.
Development in various ways there has to be, such as communications,
medical facilities, education and better agriculture. These avenues of Development should, however, be pursued within
the broad framework of the following five fundamental principles;
1. People should Develop
along the lines of their own genius, and we should avoid imposing anything on
them. We should try to Encourage in
every way their own Traditional Arts and Culture.
2. Tribal Rights in Land
and Forests should be respected
3. We should try to Train
and Build up a team of their own people to do the work of Administration and
Development. Some technical personnel
from outside will, no doubt, be needed, especially in the beginning. But we should avoid introducing too many
outsiders into tribal territory
4. We should not
over-administer these areas, or overwhelm them with a multiplicity of
Schemes. We should rather work through,
and not in rivalry to, their own social and cultural institutions
5. We should judge
results, not by statistics or the amount of money spent, but by the quality of
human character that is evolved.
The above reflects the
special sensitivity with which the then Prime Minister, approached the issue of
Tribal Development. We should have by
now developed adequate strategies for the Development of Scheduled Castes, OBCs,
Minorities and Women. Special
Strategies should have been evolved for the Women from SCs&STs, OBCs and
Minority Communities, who suffer the most in the Country. Special
steps should have been taken, particularly for the SC&ST Women, who were
subjected to multiple exploitations as
1. poor and helpless
people
2. SCs&STs
3. at times as Minority
Community SCs&STs, and
4. top of them all as
easily vulnerable Women
Sadly, even today there
are no special Cells in the Planning Commission even for the 260 million plus
SCs&STs. How then can we really
hope that, the Weaker Sections of the Country will ever be developed?
The Development of the Weaker Sections have to have a
bearing on their Occupation, Problems, Requirements, Needs and Aspirations.
GENERAL OCCUPATIONS OF THE WEAKER SECTIONS
1. Cultivators
2. Marginal Farmers
3. Seasonal Agricultural
Labourers
4. Employees in Household
Industries
5. Home Services and
Repairs
6. Public Services like
Security and Scavenging
7. Leather Workers
8. Skilled and Unskilled
Workers
9. Producers of Handicrafts
10. Process Units
11. Petty Manufacture
12. Domestic Helpers
13. Casual Workers
14. Other Workers
PROBLEMS OF THE WEAKER SECTIONS
1. Lack of Income
Generating Assets and Resources
2. Lack of Regular Income
3. Lack of Access to
Finances
4. Non-availability of
regular Employment
5. Low Wages
6. Indebtedness
7. Shortage of Food and
Fodder
8. Difficulties in getting
Water
9. Landlessness
10. Homelessness
11. Sickness, lack of
timely Medical Aid and adequate Health Care
12. Illiteracy Ignorance
and Superstitions
13. Cheating by middlemen
and Contractors
14. Oppression of their
Communities
15. Suppression of the
promising and developing individuals and families
16. Discrimination
17. Non-Payment of proper
Wages
REQUIREMENTS OF THE WEAKER SECTIONS
1. Literacy
2. General Education
3. Professional Education
4. Health Education
5. Residential and Ashram
Schools
6. Book-Banks
7. Freeships for primary
education
8. Scholarships for higher
studies
9. Fellowships for study
abroad
10. Special Hostels for
SCs, STs, OBCs, Minorities for Boys
11. Special Hostels for
SCs, STs, OBCs, Minorities for Girls
12. Admissions into general
Students Hostels of the Colleges and Universities
13. Skills Training Centres
14. Coaching Centres for
Civil Services and Banking Exams
There is a need to
address these basic problems first and fully.
Therefore the Programmes and Schemes being designed developed evolved
and implemented, should address these problems appropriately and fully, not
casually in passing or incidentally.
STRATEGIES AND APPROACH FOR PLANNING DEVELOPMENT
1. Market Induced Plans
2. Trickledown Theory
3. Financial Assistance to
Individuals
a) Loans for specific
Projects
b) Bridge Loans to
facilitate Financial Assistance
c) Govt Subsidies as
Incentives
d) Govt Aid as help
e) Grants to special
Programmes
4. Promotion of
Co-operatives
5. Encouraging Community
Development
6. State Intervention at
Community Level
7. Pro-Active Target
Groups oriented Schemes
DEVELOPMENT APPROACH
1. Individual oriented
2. Community centred
3. Cluster approach
4. Saturation approach
5. Integration approach
WEAKER SECTIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES
All Development
Programmes can be classified as
1.
LONG-TERM PROGRAMMES
a) General Area
Development Programmes
b) General Community
Development Programmes
c) Special-Group Oriented
Plans
i)
Tribal Sub Plans for STs
ii)
Settlement of Nomadic and de-notified Tribes
iii)
Improving the Working Conditions of Sweepers
iv)
Improving the Working Conditions of Flayers and Cobblers
v)
Special-Component Plans for SCs
vi)
Development of specific Backward Classes like Gold-Smiths, Weavers,
Fishermen etc
d) Socio-Economic
Programmes
e) Human-Development
Programmes
i)
Upgradation of Skills
ii) General Education and
Employment
iii) Professional Education
iv) Management Training
v) Entrepreneurship
Training to set up Industries, set-up Business etc
vi) Loans to start Economic
activities
2.
SHORT-TERM PROGRAMMES
a) Training to impart
Skills
b) Financial Assistance to
set up Rural Development Programmes
i)
Cottage Industries
ii)
Mini-Economic Activities
3.
EMERGENCY PROGRAMMES
a) To meet crisises
b) To meet disasters and
natural calamities
4.
POVERTY ALLEVIATION
PROGRAMMES
NEED FOR POVERTY ALIEVIATION PROGRAMMES
The present Govt and
the PM had publicly shrunk away to slip out of all Political and Community
Responsibilities. They want to wriggle
out of the Social Contract with the People and Society for Human
Development. That includes General Education
of the Children, employment, health care, environmental hygiene, housing and
transportation. These and the growing
Corruption in Public Services, have left the Govts short-strapped of
funds. Hence, they are no more in a
position to take up and find money to finance time bound tangible Developmental
Programmes for Welfare Schemes. Hence,
the Govts are forced to take up just a little bit of Poverty Alleviation Programmes, to keep the people satisfied a
little.
IMPORTANCE OF INCOME GENERATING SCHEMES
The World is now wise
to believe in the Chinese Proverb It is
better to teach an hungry individual to fish, than give a fish to eat, least
the individual may come back again for the next fish. Therefore it is good
to introduce people to Income Generating
Schemes, to take up their life and future in their own hands, than help them
with food or doles or any other form of financial or material assistance.
GOVTS EFFORTS TO DEVELOP WEAKER SECTIONS
General and overall
Developmental Planning in the Country, was launched in 1951, in the form of
Five-Year Plans. When the Five-Year Plans
could not be finalised due to Political and other Considerations, Annual-plans
were adopted. All these Plans, took
into consideration the need to Develop the Poor and the Weaker Sections. It kept in view the concerns of the first
Prime Minister of India, which was subsequently evolved as the Policy of the
Govt and Planning Commission.
The First Five-Year Plan, during the years of
1951-56 believed in Trickle-Down Theory.
It envisaged that Programmes under various sectors of Development would
benefit all sections of Population including the Weaker Sections of
Society. But sadly, this reliance
failed and the expectations were belied.
Benefits of Development never reached the poor and the weak, for obvious
reasons. Hence, Special Programmes for
the Backward Classes were formulated, especially and separately under the
Backward Classes Sector, with a very Small Backward Class Division in Planning
Commission, New Delhi. The Special
Requirements of SCs&STs were particularly taken into account.
The Second Plan over the years 1956-61, was
formulated with the promise to ensure
that, Economic and Social Benefits of National Development would accrue to the
Backward Classes also, and to the relatively much marginalised and less
privileged SCs&STs. These were
expected to bridge the gaps between the dominant castes and the weaker Sections
on the one hand, and lift the neglected SCs&STs at least to near the levels
of the Other Backward Classes. The
important component of the Second Plan, were separate Tribal Development Plans,
with respect and understanding of their Culture and Traditions. This was based on the Philosophy of
Panchsheel for Tribal Area Administration and Development enunciated by the
first Prime Minister of the Nation.
During the Plan, 43 Special Multi-Purpose Tribal Blocks were opened,
which later became Tribal development Blocks for about 25,000 Tribals as
against the normal 65,000 per Block.
The Third Plan of the Years 1961-66 and the
three Annual Plans during 1966-69, advocated Greater Equality of Opportunities, and reduction in the Economic
Disparities and differences in Income and Wealth in the Society. Its thrust was towards even distribution of
wealth, reduction of inequalities in the community, and levelling up the
economic power of most sections of the society.
The Fourth Plan of 1969-74 envisaged, the Basic Goal of Rapid Increase in the
Standard of Living of the People, through measures which also Promoted Equality
and Social Justice. In 1971-71, six
pilot-projects were set up in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa,
with a separate Tribal Development Agency for each Project.
The Fifth Plan during the Years 1974-79, was a
watershed for the STs. In the Year 1975-76, Tribal Sub-Plan was launched,
by keeping aside Plan Funds for the Development Scheduled Tribe Areas with
exclusive allocations for specific and separate Programmes and Schemes for STs
Welfare and Development. This approach,
and its success was appropriately copied and adopted for the Welfare of SCs in
the subsequent Plans.
The Annual Plan of 1979-80, saw the
launching of the Special Component Plan
for SCs so that they could also receive their due share of Plan Allocations
and Benefits of Development from various Developmental Sectors. This facilitated convergence and pooling of
available resources and Plan Allocations from every Sector to Develop the SCs
in proportion to the SC Population in the Society.
The Sixth Plan 1980-85 continued with the SCP
for SCs which became a significant feature of the Five-Year Plans, along with TSP for the STs. These facilitated monitoring and evaluation
of the Development of both SCs and STs.
The Seventh Plan 1985-90, saw the strengthening
of SCP and TSP, with the flow of funds from the State Plans, Central Plans
and Special Central Assistance (SCA)
and Institutional Finance, facilitating enlargement of infrastructures and
expansion of their coverage to benefit more SCs&STs. In 1989, National SC&ST Finance
Development Corporation (NSFDC) to provide loans to SCs&STs for taking up
gainful and profitable self-employment productive activities, and business was
established.
The Eighth Plan 1992-97, aimed at bridging the
gap between the Development of the Weaker Sections and others, by the
beginning of the Twenty-first Century.
The Ninth Plan 1997-2002 was said would Empower
the Socially Disadvantaged Groups to become agents of Change and Development by
themselves. It was expected to create
an enabling Environment Conducive for SCs&STs, Minorities and OBCs to
exercise their rights freely to enjoy all privileges, and lead a life with
confidence and dignity at par with the rest of the society. Disparities were to be removed, exploitation
and suppression eliminated, protection provided to the disadvantaged groups of
Weaker Sections, such that benefits of
Development would reach the unreached
through Equitable Distribution and Social Justice. These it was said would facilitate the weaker sections not
merely as beneficiaries but also as participants in the Planning and
Implementation of the Developmental Process.
It was expected that funds would also flow to Women of the Weaker
Sections, for their Development.
However belied till-date, were all the Promises to the
People about
1. Social Empowerment
2. Economic Empowerment,
and
3. Social Justice
During the Year 1997, at the time of the 11th
Lok Sabha, five Office Memorandums, affecting the Reservations in Employment of
not only SCs&STs but also the OBCs were introduced.
The unkindest cut of all, came during the 12th
Parliament, when this Govt brought out the sixth OM. It remains to be the most dangerous of all the Black
Anti-Reservation OMs. It deprives the SCs,
STs and OBCs who come up on top to be in the merit list, their position in the merit list, if they
had otherwise availed of any concessions as SCs/STs/OBCs. This one, without any provocation or Court
Judgement whatsoever.
DEVELOPMENT OF SCHEDULED CASTES AND SCHEDULED TRIBES
The basic need of the
SCs&STs was to end their forced Segregation by the Caste System. The best Strategy that could be considered
was Reservations for SCs&STs.
Reserving the dues of SCs&STs to SCs&STs, was the only way to
ensure their proportionate share in all walks of life. As a result of Baba Sahebs Struggles, and
his demands in the First and Second Round Table Conferences in 1930-32, the
British agreed to provide some Reservations.
RESERVATIONS AVAILABLE
Today Reservations for
the SCs&STs are available in
1. Political Reservations
in Parliament (Lower House of the People - Lok Sabha) and the State and UT
Legislative Assemblies (Lower House of the People)
2. Reservations in
Employment
3. Reservations in
Education
4. Reservations for
Economic Development
5. Some Reservations in
Housing
POLITICAL RESERVATIONS for SCs&STs
Of these only Political
Reservations, though time-bound are compulsory and inescapable, being a firm
Constitutional Provision. This opened
the way for the SCs&STs to participate in the Governance of the Country,
directly to some extent possible, and force the Govts to take the Problems of
SCs&STs seriously, and Plan for their Welfare and Development.
However, there are no Reservations for SCs in the
Upper Houses in the Centre and the States.
As a result, the Representation of SCs&STs in the Upper Houses are
still poor. There is a need to
introduce Reservations for SCs&STs in Rajya Sabha in Parliament, and
Legislative Councils in the States.
RESERVATION IN EMPLOYMENT FOR SCs&STs
and to OBCs at the time of making Appointments.
Reservation in
Employment, though without any time-limit, is only an enabling Provision in the
Constitution, that also in Public Services.
It is therefore left to the discretion of the Bureaucrats, Governments,
Parliament and Legislative Assemblies.
This was the Most Effective Programme for the Development of SC&ST
Communities.
Reservation in
Employment is a means for Community Participation in the Governance of the
Country through Administration, its Executive Functions, and Decision making
roles for day to day business of the Govts.
It should not be - as it is often prone to mixed with the Development
of any Individual or family. It should
not be seen just as a means of Employment, for getting a respectable and
regular income as wages pay and allowances or salary every month. Yes, Employment of the Individuals are incidental
to reservations in services. From 1990,
Reservations for OBCs at the time of making Appointments had been
introduced. It was challenged
vehemently in all Political Fora, in every possible manner in Society, in the
educational Institutions, and in the Streets.
Hence the Govt of India, mad compensatory Reservations in favour of the
poor amongst the dominant castes. In
spite of this, the decision of the Govt in introducing Reservations for the
OBCs in the matters of Appointments was challenged in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court finally in its Judgement
in 1992, upheld the Reservations for OBCs, at the time of making
Appointments. But, they set aside the
compensatory Reservations for the Poor amongst all other Dominant Sections of
the Society.
Employment of an individual, is the best and direct
method of Developing the Individual, family, the larger family associated with
the person to a large extent, and the section and area of the community from
where the individual hails, to a certain extent. For, it helps to provide a decent and regular income over a
period of 30 to 40 years, depending upon the age of the individual at the time
of recruitment and employment, and type of job employment and retirement
age. And it provides encouragement,
facilitates guidance and incentives for others around to study and seek better
and higher employment. Therefore, it is
suggested that SC&ST Institutions, should directly employ SCs&STs as
much as possible, as it is in the case of other Minority Institutions.
SABOTAGING RESERVATIONS
At present, Reservations in Services are under threat. They are being directly attacked by various
Unions, dominant caste Welfare Associations, private individuals and even by
some individual Advocates. While some
of the staff and employees manipulate the existing Reservations, particularly
the Rosters meant to identify the Vacancies to be Reserved for SCs, STs and
OBCs, even senior officers are not free from these prejudices. At the slightest opportunity, they change
the Reservation Policy, Rules and Orders, to the disadvantage of SCs, STs and
OBCs. There appears to have emerged, an
unholy understanding between the dominant castes advocates, officials of the
courts, judges and senior officers, to Sabotage Reservations in Services.
NEED FOR RESERVATIONS IN PRIVATE SECTOR
It is sad that today,
with Liberalisation and Privatisation of even Govt Sector, Banks, Public Sector
Enterprises, the Job Opportunities where the SCs&STs can reasonably hope to
get a fair-play in the selections, or get jobs at least through Reservations in
Employment, have shrunk. The present
Govts, are in a hurry to Privatise. It
helps the Private Sector, to walk away with the Govt Enterprises at throw away
prices, fixed by some private appraisers again to the advantage of the private
sector. And, it has not built any Safety-Clauses to protect Reservations in
Employment, in the PSUs being Disinvested or sold off, or even protect
those SC&ST Employees working already in the PSUs. There is an urgent need for these.
There is a need to evolve Reservation in all
establishments, that make use of the Natural Resources of the Nation, like
Land, Water and Man Power, even if they bring in their own money to the extent
of 100%
RESERVATION IN EDUCATION for SCs&STs
Reservation in
Education, is only part of the Directive Principles to the State in the
Constitution. Therefore the same is
left to the sweet will and purely for the political considerations of the Govts
in Power at the centre and in the States or Union Territories. Again due to Liberalisation, and opening of
Education to Private Entrepreneurs and Business People, admissions has become
difficult and costly, cost of Education had gone prohibitively high, and the
quality of education in most private educational institutions has become
worthless turning out unemployable and unsuitable graduates. On the other-hand rich dominant castes have
managed to buy their way into these private institutions to virtually purchase
their professional degrees and mange even well paid jobs thereafter, leaving
the SCs&STs in the lurch.
Now, there is a big hostile threat to the Education of
the SCs&STs, and all other Weaker Sections, including the Minorities, OBCs
and Women from the SCs, STs, Minorities and OBCs. The strategies being silently adopted are
1. Intervention through
Courts and direct Administrative Orders behind the back of Parliament, without
any discussions to deny Admissions in Medicine, Engineering, Science,
Post-Graduate Studies, Specialities and Super-Speciality Courses
2. Prohibitive Increase of
Fees including Library Hostel and Examination Fees
3. Privatisation of
Education that charge very very high fees and heavy admission charges in black
4. Passing out Doctors
Engineers etc, without proper teaching and training, due to lack of Teaching
Faculty, Laboratories and Workshops, leaving them unsuitable for good jobs
5. Turning out Doctors
Engineers etc in thousands, that there is wide-spread unemployment and
under-employment even amongst them
The main aim of many
dominant castes, and thrust of their thinking plans and actions is to keep the
Weaker Sections, still jobless, without adequate income, helpless, hopeless,
weak and dependent.
RESERVATION IN HOUSING for SCs&STs
Reservation in Housing,
is also only part of the Directive Principles to the State in the
Constitution. Entry of private sector
in housing in a very big way because of liberalisation, is pushing the prices
of houses high to the sky, leaving almost all the SCs&STs except those in
good jobs, helpless. It has become
impossible for many SCs&STs to think of buying any house. Not only that, the private builders are
edging the SCs&STs to push them out from their small pieces of land and
homes, to make way for new posh elite houses and shopping complexes. All these raise many folds the rents,
forcing out the SCs&STs out of the cities or into miserable hovels in
heavily congested city slums in hygienically bad and dangerous places.
RESERVATION IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT for SCs&STs
Reservation in Economic
Development, is again only part of the Directive Principles to the State in the
Constitution. As a result the Schemes
and Programmes are so lob sided, and practically serve no purpose. Fifty-five years of Independence could not
develop any SC or ST really as an entrepreneur or as Industrialist or
Business-Person. The SCs&STs today
lag far behind the others, though by way of Education and Employment in Public
Services they might have developed much better in the past. That, thanks to the Statesmanship, Vision
and Policies pursued by Baba Saheb, Babuji, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira
Gandhi. Today, with all round
unrestrained liberalisation and privatisation without any human face had
increased unbridled corruption in every sector. This makes all the more difficult for the SCs&STs to get any
loans or plans cleared through even Govt Departments, without paying speed
money and bribe. And most SCs&STs
can not afford to pay any. As a result,
even most educated and well-experienced SCs&STs are finding it difficult to
make use of any Economic Development Programmes meant for SCs&STs.
RESERVATIONS UNDER THREAT
Reservations to SCs&STs and OBCs have always been
resisted. For, that is the one
Programme, which had benefited the SCs&STs forcibly placed at the bottom of
the Society in all walks of life for nearly four millennium years, to
1. Participate in the
Politics of the Country
2. Take part in the
Governance of the Country in proportion to their Population in the Society
3. Force the Govt to get
due Shares in at least some walks of life in proportion to their Population in
the Society
4. Take some part in the
Administration of the Public Services, even without political clout, or money
to pay any speed money or corruption
5. Get Professional
Education in proportion to their Population in the Society
REASONS FOR ATTACK ON RESERVATIONS
1. Intolerance of the
dominant castes
2. Jealousy about the
development and progress of SCs&STs
3. Fear of the Development
OBCs
4. Fear of loosing easy
unlimited and cheap Labour from unemployed OBC and SC&ST Communities
5. Manipulating Staff in
Administration and Establishment Sections
6. Intolerance of
officials, including senior Officers
7. Interfering Judiciary
8. Collaboration between
private individuals, dominant caste groups, advocates, court staff the judges
and personnel officers including many senior officials, at times with the
support and patronage of some political parties leaders and activists
GENERAL, SPECIAL, AND SC&ST FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
FAIL
As far as Economic
Development Programmes are concerned, the Country had seen much significant
progress, particularly when we take into account the infrastructure,
educational, scientific, professional and managerial base of the Country, at
the time of Independence in 1947. But,
at the same-time, the relative development and progress of either the SC&ST
Individuals, or SC&ST Community is miserably insignificant. Banks, even after Nationalisation had failed
the SCs&STs. So, did the Special
Financial Institutions like NABARD, SIDBI etc.
The general State Financial Institutions had not bothered to look at the
SCs&STs or their proposals.
Some States had come up
with exclusive SC&ST Financial Corporations. Apart from the initial successes and hope, these could not do
much. Hence in 1989, a National SC&ST
Finance and Development Corporation was established by the Govt of India, in
New Delhi. Sadly, that also had let
down the SCs&STs. National
Safai-Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation was established in
January 1997. And in 2001, NSFDC had
been split into separate SC Corporation and ST Corporation. However nothing much is being done by these
Corporations.
The main reasons for the failure by the SC&ST
Financial Institutions are
1. Employment of
non-SCs&STs for helping develop SC&ST Dalits
2. Employment of totally
unsuitable individuals, at times even anti-SCs or anti-STs or anti-SCs&STs,
irrespective of the fact whether they are SCs or STs or none.
3. Corruption
4. Lack of Planning
non-existence of any Planning Department
5. Non-organisation of
Entrepreneur Training Programmes
6. Absence of any
Portfolio of Projects to guide and help prospective SC&ST Entrepreneurs,
and
7. Unwillingness and
uncooperative attitudes of many officials there in to help the SCs and STs.
In many cases, it takes
anywhere four to five years, before the Loan is sanctioned. Many individuals had returned frustrated and
disillusioned, without any assistance from these Corporations. On the top of these, the Financial Assistance
being extended by these two National Corporations are so paltry, that they are
far less than many State SC&ST Corporations. Thus, they are not in a position to Develop any SC or ST, even as
a Small Scale Industry Entrepreneur.
SPECIFIC STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF STs
In 1974, during the
fifth Five-Year Plan, Tribal Sub-Plan
(TSP for Tribal Welfare and Development) was introduced, as an important
Group Oriented Part of the Plan, with
Special Central Assistance (SCA) as additive.
SPECIAL STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SCs
During the Annual Plan
of 1979-80 and subsequently from the sixth Five-Year Plan, TSP was
appropriately adopted as the Special
Component Plan (SCP for the Scheduled Castes Development) with SCA as additive.
PROTECTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF MINORITIES
Planning Commission has
reported that non-availability of authentic data makes it difficult to assess
their socio-economic status. Surveys
conducted by the National council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER) New
Delhi in 1994 had indicated 33,230 Rural Muslim Households in 16 States as
Educationally and Economically Backward.
Till date, the following Programmes and Schemes have
been taken up
1. Twenty Point Programme
for Development of the Poor and Weaker Sections
2. Fifteen Point Programme
for Minorities
3. Special Area Programmes
4. Area Intensive
Programmes for Educationally Backward Minorities
5. Maulana Azad Education
Foundation 1992-93 to run
i)
residential schools
ii) construction/expansion
schools
iii) colleges
iv) equipment for
laboratories
v) polytechnics
vi) purchase of machinery
vii) vocational/technical
training centres for women
viii) hostels mainly for
girls
ix) remedial coaching
6. Reservations at the
time of recruitments to Public Services during the Ninth Plan
7. Pre-Examination
Coaching Centres
8. Pre-Metric and
Post-Metric Scholarships for OBC Students
9. OBC Boys and Girls
Hostels for Students
10. Modernisation of
Madrasas with upgradation of syllabuses therein with science, maths,
social-studies, Hindi and English, and 100% finance for appointment of
qualified teachers
11. National Minorities
Commission
12. National Minorities
Finance and Development Corporation, established in 1994-95, for promoting
self-employment and income generation activities
13. Scheme of
Micro-Financing from 1998-99, through Non-Govt Organisations (NGOs) and Self
Help Groups (SHGs)
SCHEMES AND PROGRAMMES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF OBCs
OBCs traditionally are
part of the main workforce in agriculture and almost all other productive and
service sectors. Strangely, it is for
this reason of their living as workers and producers, they are treated as the
Shudras and OBCs. The OBCs are
generally farmers and or artisans - the small cultivators, agricultural
labourers, artisans, weavers, tailors, potters, carpenters, blacksmiths,
goldsmiths, mud and stone quarry workers, fishermen, construction workers etc
of the Country. However, most of these
occupations OBCs, often overlap in many places and parts of the Country, with
that of SCs, STs and Minorities, who are the other part of the main workforce
in the Country. Education of OBCs was
promoted with special care by some States, particularly in the South. Specific Educational Development of OBCs
started as a Central Programme, in the Ninth Plan.
The present OBC Developmental Programmes are
1. Twenty Point Programme
for Development of the Poor and Weaker Sections
2. Special Area Programmes
3. Reservations at the
time of recruitments to Public Services during the Ninth Plan
4. Pre-Examination
Coaching Centres
5. Pre-Metric and
Post-Metric Scholarships for OBC Students
6. OBC Boys and Girls
Hostels for Students
7. Commission for Backward
Classes
8. National Backward
Classes Finance and Development Corporation, established in 1992 for promoting
self-employment and income generation activities
SCHEMES AND PROGRAMMES FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN
Educationally Women and
Girl Children from the weaker Sections of the Society lag far behind others, and
their own men and boys. They still
remain as the weakest link in every respect, though they are in the forefront
in economic activities, both as small cultivators and landless agricultural
workers. Often prejudices, biases,
superstitions, ignorance, illiteracy, and the inability of their families to
provide them and support them to go for education are the principal
causes. This, though girls out perform
boys in studies, both in the schools and colleges.
STEPS TAKEN BY GOVT OF INDIA
Significant steps taken by the Govt of India are
1. Separate Ministry/
Department for Women and Child Development
2. Womens Commission
3. Integrated Child
Development Services (ICDS) to provide a package of 6 basic Services
i)
Health
ii) Immunisation
iii) Supplementary Feeding
iv) Referral Services
v) Non-formal pre-School
Education, and
vi) Health and Nutrition
for children below 6 years and expectant and nursing mothers living in most
backward and rural areas and urban slums
4. Hostels for SC Girls
started in 1961-62 to improve enrolment and reduce drop-outs
5. Hostels for ST Girls to
increase their enrolment and reduce drop-outs
6. Hostels for OBC Girls
to encourage them to enrol and reduce drop-outs
7. Hostels for Minority
Girls to help their education
8. Special-Educational
Development Programmes for SC&ST Girls belonging to Low Literacy Districts
introduced in 1996-97
9. Special residency
Schools for SC&ST Girls to first generation learners in 48 Districts of
Bihar, MP, Rajasthan and UP where literacy was less than 2% in 1981 Census
10. Central Assistance to
Zilla Parishads to run schools or through NGOs
11. Pre-Examination
Coaching Centres
SCHEMES AND PROGRAMMES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF ALL THE
WEAKER SECTIONS IN GENERAL
SCHEMES AND PROGRAMMES NEEDED
Special Schemes and
Programmes are required for the general and overall Welfare and Development of
the Weaker Sections. Important amongst
them are -
Long-Term Programmes and Schemes Required
1. Allotment of Land
Distribution of Waste and Surplus Land
2. Development and
Management of Water Resources
3. Development of
Fisheries and Fishing Rights for Weaker Sections
4. Watershed Development
Management and Preservation
5. Soil and Moisture
Conservation Measures
6. Afforestation of Waste
Lands, denuded Forests and Protection of Forests, particularly from Contractors
and Poachers
7. Social Forestry, Farm
and Industrial Forestry
8. Livestock Development
9. Animal Husbandry -
Dairy and Poultry Development
10. Development of
Horticulture, Floriculture etc
11. Special Co-operatives
for Development and Welfare of Weaker Sections
12. Cottage Industries,
Mini-Industries and Small-Industries
Short-Term Programmes and Schemes Required
1. Rehabilitation of
Displaced Persons
2. Collection and
Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP)
3. Traditional Rights of
the Tribals, harvesting and sustainable use of Forestry
4. Development of Pasture
Lands
5. Development of
Subsidiary Occupations
6. Medical and Public
Health Programmes in Rural and Remote Areas, including Mobile Dispensaries
7. Protected Safe Drinking
Water for use by the Weaker Sections
8. Irrigation of Small and
Marginal Lands of the Weaker Sections
9. All weather Approach
Roads, and drainage where Weaker Sections live
10. Electrification or
Solar Lighting in areas where the Weaker Sections live
11. Sanitary Facilities
like at least Community Bath Rooms and Toilets for use by the Weaker Sections,
particularly for Women
12. Prevention of
Atrocities
13. Protection from Money
Lenders
14. Grains Storage (Grain
Golas) and Protection from Traders Agents and Middle-men
15. Abolition of Scavenging
16. Special Housing for and
Schools for Scavengers
17. Abolition of Bonded
Labour
18. Prevention of Child
Labour
19. Working Women Hostels
20. Crθches for Children
near work spots
21. Hostels for Children
22. Ashram and Residential
Schools
AVAILABLE PROGRAMMES AND SCHEMES
Govt has come up, from
time to time, with a number of Schemes and Programmes for the Weaker Sections. They are
LONG-TERM PROGRAMMES
1. Education
a) Special Schools for
STs, SCs, Minorities and Girl Children
b) Residential and Ashram
Schools
c) Freeships,
Scholarships, Fellowships and Bank Loans at Low Interest
d) Girls Hostels for STs,
SCs, OBCs and Minorities
e) Colleges and Hostels
for Women
f)
Working Womens Hostels
2. Distribution of Surplus
Land to SCs&STs
3. Reservation in
Education
4. Reservation in Jobs for
SCs&STs and OBCs
5. Reservations in Job
Promotions for SCs&STs
SHORT-TERM PROGRAMMES
1. Bank-Loans for Higher
Education
2. Creation of Community
Assets
3. Infrastructure Building
POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAMMES
1. Integrated Rural
Development Programme (IRDP)
2. Drought Prone Areas
Programme (DPAP)
3. Multi-Purpose Tribal
Development Blocks
4. Jawahar Gram Samridhi
Yojna (JGSY)
5. Pradhan Mantri
Gramodaya Yojana 2000-01 (PMGY)
6. Pradhan Mantri
Gramodaya Yojana Gramin Awas (PMGY Gramin Awas)
7. Pradhan Mantri
Gramodaya Yojana Rural Drinking Water Project (PMGY- RDWP)
8. Pradhan Mantri Gram
Sadak Yojana 2000 (PMGSY)
9. Antyodaya Anna Yojana
20001 (AAY)
10. Annapurna 2000
11. Indira Awass Yojana
(IAY)
12. Valmiki Ambedkar Awas
Yojana 2001 (VAMBAY)
INCOME GENERATING SCHEMES
1. National Rural
Employment Programme (NREP)
2. Rural Landless
Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP)
3. Training of Rural Youth
for Self-Employment (TRYSEM)
4. Village and Small
Industries (VSL)
5. Minimum Needs Programme
(MNP)
6. Employment Assurance
Scheme (EAS)
7. Swarnajayanti Gram
Swarozgar Yojana 1999 (SGSY)
8. Sampoorna Grameen
Rozgar Yojna 2001 (SGRY with EAS and JGSY integrated)
9. Jai Prakash Rozgar Guarantee
Yojana (JPRGY)
10. Swarna Jayanti Shahari
Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY)
GAPS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION of PAP and IGS
Though there are
multiple numbers of Poverty Alleviation Programmes, and Income Generating
Programmes, in reality they are parts of the original Community Development
Programmes, conceived and taken up immediately after Independence. That had been muted modified renamed or
separated from the original main scheme, to make them appear new. This, just to fool the people. Sometimes, few old ones have been clubbed
together, under a new name, or merged together as a new programme. All these are really confusing, to even the
educated. The poor Weaker Sections are
therefore totally confused, and are totally at the mercy of the Block and
District Level Officials, especially those in the Rural Areas.
Implementation and
effectiveness of PAP and IGS are found to be wanting in many respects, that the
achievements and progress are too small and negligible. The main Reasons are
1. Inadequacy of the
Schemes
2. Absence of Appropriate
Technology
3. Failure to evolve Right
Strategies to implement and manage the Schemes
4. Poor Implementation
5. Absence of Guidance
6. Lack of Monitoring
7. Defects in
Identification of the Target Groups
8. Faulty Selection of
Beneficiaries
9. Over emphasis on
Traditional Agriculture and Animal Husbandry based programmes
10. Failing to Restructure
Cropping Patterns
11. Lack of Extension Work
to promote and adopt profitable farm practices amongst the Weaker Sections and
Small Farmers
12. No encouragement to
promote cultivation and marketing of Vegetables
13. Non-introduction of
appropriate cash-crops
14. Not Developing Orchards
and Floriculture suitable to small farmers and marginal land-holders
15. Lack of Publicity
amongst the Target Groups to create Awareness about the Programmes,
particularly the details of the Schemes, Subsidy, Govt Aid if any, the Loan
Component, as well as the time of duration and repayment
INADEQUACY OF THE PROGRAMMES AND SCHEMES
Main Reasons for the failure to Develop the Weaker
Sections are their inadequacies
1. Failure to dovetail the
Schemes to the Problems of the Weaker Sections and relate them to the
Requirements, Needs and Aspirations of the beneficiaries
2. Leakage of Funds
3. Diversion of Funds
4. Non-Utilisation of
Funds
5. Corruption
Every Programme and
Scheme taken up for implementation should have a bearing, on the beneficiaries
poverty levels, indebtedness and income.
Only then, the benefits of development could really lift the Weaker
Sections out of their poverty. That
alone would make them economically independent and socially self-sufficient, to
interact with others without fear and on equal terms. Otherwise, the Programmes and Schemes would not only fail, but
lead to more indebtedness of the Weaker Sections.
REALITIES!
The Govt claims that
Poverty Alleviation Programmes have been strengthened. More Funds have been provided to generate
Additional Employment, create Productive Assets, impart Technical and
Entrepreneurial Skills. These are
expected to encourage Self-Employment, increase Jobs, reduce unemployment and
raise the Income Levels of the Poor.
However Govt is silent about plugging the holes in the system. There is no realistic account of the
leakages and diversion of funds, mis-utilisation and non-utilisation, or
surrender of funds and corruption. The
money actually reaching the Weaker Sections, in spite of the Plan Outlays,
Budgetary Provisions, and Funds Released is not known. But the effects of Govts efforts are
disappointing. The latest quin-quennial
Survey, by National Survey Organisation on Employment and Unemployment, 55th
Round 1999-2000 indicates a disappointing trend. The Rate of Growth of Employment on Current Daily Status (CDS)
basis declined from 2.7% per annum in 1983-1994 to 1.07% per annum during
1994-2000. However, this decline in the
Rate of Growth of Employment compares adversely to the higher growth of
GDP.
The present position in the Country sadly indicate
1. decline in labour
intensity of production
2. mechanisation and
automation
3. deliberate strategy by
the employers to reduce employment rate per rupee invested, and every rupee of
output
4. concentration of wealth
in the hands of a few
5. increase in relative
poverty
6. sharp decline in the
rate of growth of labour force
7. increase in the number
of unemployed
8. higher incidence of
unemployment
9. reduced income to the
poor
10. growing poverty
The NSSO Survey also indicate
1. a steady increasing
trend in the number of Casual Labour
2. employment in private
sector increased both in the organised and unorganised
3. negligible growth of
employment in public sector which accounts for more than two-thirds of
employees in the organised sector
What we now see in the Country, should worry every
sensible individuals, as these mean
1. re-emergence of
contract works as in the pre-Independent Days, or East India Company Days
2. emergence of Labour
Contractors
3. growing decline of the
workforce in the organised sector from the present low of only 8 to 9 percent
4. growth of un-organised
labour force within the organised sector
The visible Indicators are not good, and do not bode
well to the future of the Nation, Society, People and Employees. These would inevitably lead to
1. Decline in Peace and
Justice in the Society
2. Increased exploitation
of the workers by the Contractors
3. Fall in the wages of
the workers
4. More and more Law and
Order Problems
5. Possible emergence of
Police States
It is therefore, necessary for all of us to
introspect, to come up with radically new Programmes, if we are to meet the
Essential Needs and Aspirations of the Weaker Sections, and not disappoint them
or let them down.
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************************************* N Manohara Prasad, Delhi, India ************************************* |