Social-Cultural Issues

Under MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), the Gram Panchayat is the primary body responsible for planning and deciding the priority of works to be undertaken. While higher-level bodies like Zila Parishad and State Government have roles in approval and monitoring, the actual prioritization of work happens at the Gram Panchayat level as it is closest to the ground realities and community needs.

It was stated in the 11^th Five Year Plan that "The 'Disability Division' of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will be strengthened by converting it into a separate Department, so that it can liaise effectively with all the other concerned Ministries/Departments and fulfil its responsibilities towards the disabled". 

The National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC) has been set up by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India on 24^th January, 1997. NHFDC functions as an apex institution for channelising the funds to persons with disabilities through the State Channelising Agencies (SCAs) nominated by the State Government.
Loan assistance is provided to disabled persons for manufacturing, fabrication and production. The disabled person will be the owner/chief executive of the company and will employ at least 15% disabled persons. A maximum loan of 25 lakh is provided for the same.

The decision to create a separate Department of Disability Affairs within the M/o SJ&E was taken up by the Government, in principle on 3rd January, 2012. This was also announced by the President before both houses of Parliament on 12th March, 2012.

Government of India had launched a Central Sector scheme, namely Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship during the financial year 2005-06 to increase opportunities to Scheduled Castes for pursuing higher education leading to degrees such as M.Phil. and Ph.D. The scheme has been revised with effect from 1.4.2010. The scheme caters the requirements of the Scheduled Caste students for pursuing research degree in universities, research institutions and scientific institutions.

The scheme for construction of hostels for girls is in operation from the 3^rd Five Year Plan while for boys, the same was started in the year 1989-90. The earlier centrally sponsored scheme of hostels for SC boys and girls has been revised and is renamed as "Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatravas Yojna' w.e.f. 01.01.08.

The first National Policy on Children was formulated in 1974. The first policy of 1974 described children as a supremely important asset and made the state responsible for providing equal opportunities for growth and development of all children. The policy primarily focused on health and education of the children.

SPAN runs education centres at nine slums of Kolkata and suburbs, wherein the children in difficult circumstances are motivated to drop in, get the nurturing through joyful learning and get mainstreamed in government schools. All these centres are under the name of “Anandadhara Shikshayatan”.

The largest ever water supply scheme in Himachal Pradesh was inaugurated on 6 October 2011 in Kangehan area of Kangra district. Constructed at a cost of 70 crore rupees, the scheme will benefit a population of one lakh and thirty one thousand people.

Goa became the first state in India to launch Swarnajayanti Aarogya Bima Yojana providing health insurance cover for the entire resident population of the state. 

The fact that distinguishes MGNREGA from other employment schemes is that it provides a legal entitlement to work, and that it promises work on demand. In this regard, it is proposed that it be made mandatory for all States to institute systems that proactively seek and rigorously record demand for work. In case a worker who demanded for work is not allocated any within 15 days of application, he must be paid unemployment benefits. The Gram Panchayat is expected to host a Rozgar Diwas to develop a forum of seeking work applications as well as settling dues of those promised unemployment benefits.

The Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation is implementing the Sub-Mission on Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP) and the Integrated Housing & Slum Development (IHSDP) for smaller towns/cities under JNNURM.  The basic objective is to strive for holistic slum development with a healthy and enabling urban environment by providing adequate shelter and basic infrastructure facilities to the slum dwellers of the identified urban areas.

The Government of India has initiated a Pilot Project namely Youth Employability Skill (YES) Project with the objective to enhance the employability of youth by running a variety of employable skills based training courses through recognized Vocational Training Providers (VTPs) for nearly 1000 rural youths and 7000 youth club members in the States of North Eastern Region.

The Centrally-sponsored Scheme for Construction of Hostels for OBC Boys and Girls is being implemented since 1998-99 to address the problem of educational backwardness of OBCs.