Since gaining independence in 1947, India has embarked on a multifaceted journey towards social empowerment, aimed at uplifting marginalized communities and fostering inclusivity. In response to centuries of systemic discrimination and inequity, the nation has implemented a plethora of measures to address social disparities and promote equality. Through constitutional provisions, affirmative action policies, grassroots initiatives, and advocacy campaigns, India has endeavored to create a more just and empowered society where every individual, regardless of caste, creed, or gender, has the opportunity to thrive and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s progress. These concerted efforts reflect India’s commitment to realizing the vision of a truly egalitarian society, where the inherent dignity and rights of every citizen are upheld and protected.
Social Empowerment – Women’s Empowerment
In the words of the current Prime Minister “empowering women means empowering the entire family.” In a country like India, a girl child faces challenges right from the time of her birth or one can say a girl child has to fight even for her birth. Hence the Government of India has given a big focus on empowering women through various government-sponsored schemes. Some of the important schemes are mentioned below.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) campaign was launched on 22 January 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It aims to address the issue of the declining child sex ratio image (CSR) and is a national initiative jointly run by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Human Resource Development. It initially focused on multi-sector action in 100 districts throughout the country where there was a low CSR.
Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana
It is a maternity benefit program run by the Government of India. It was introduced in 2016 and is implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It is a conditional cash transfer scheme for pregnant and lactating women of 19 years of age or above for the first live birth. It provides partial wage compensation to women for wage-loss during childbirth and childcare and to provide conditions for safe delivery and good nutrition and feeding practices.
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana
It is a Government of India backed saving scheme targeted at the parents of girl children. The scheme encourages parents to build a fund for future education and marriage expenses for their female child. The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 22 January 2015 as a part of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign. The scheme currently provides high-interest rates and tax benefits. The account can be opened at any India Post office or branch of authorized commercial banks.
One-Stop Centre Scheme
An initiative of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the scheme intends to cater to women affected by violence in a public or private space or within a family or at the workplace. At the centre, the beneficiaries are given access to specialized services.
Social Empowerment – Poor and Marginalized Sections
or poor and marginalized sections, empowerment means access to basic education, livelihood, and equal opportunities for growth.
Some of the Government measures to address this section of society are mentioned below.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)
It is a financial inclusion program of the Government of India open to Indian citizens (minors of age 10 and older can also open an account with a guardian to manage it), that aims to expand affordable access to financial services such as bank accounts, remittances, credit, insurance and pensions. This financial inclusion campaign was launched on 28 August 2014. Under this scheme, 15 million bank accounts were opened on inauguration day.
Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana
Any Indian Citizen who has a business plan for a non-farm sector income generating activity such as manufacturing, processing, trading or service sector and whose credit need is less than Rs 10 lakh can approach either a Bank, MFI, or NBFC for availing of Micro Units Development & Refinance Agency Ltd. (MUDRA) loans under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY).
Skill India Mission
Skill India Mission was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 July 2015 to train over 40 crore people in India in different skills by 2022. It is managed by the National Skills Development Corporation of India. United Kingdom (U.K), Japan, Oracle have collaborated with India for Skill India Programme. One of the prominent initiatives under it is Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).
The aim of the PMKVY scheme is to encourage aptitude towards employable skills and to increase the working efficiency of probable and existing daily wage earners, by giving monetary awards and rewards and by providing quality training to them. The scheme has a target to train 1 crore Indian youth from 2016-20.
Scholarship Schemes for Education
To meet its goal of educational empowerment of the SC population, a large portion of the budget of the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment is directed to scholarships and there has been considerable success in its distribution within the target group. Post-Matric Scholarship (PMS – SC) for SC students has been in operation since 1944 and is the single largest intervention by the Government of India for the educational empowerment of scheduled caste students. It covers approximately 55 lakh students per year, studying at the post matriculation or post-secondary stage, right up to PhD. It has had positive outcomes on literacy levels of the target groups, on dropout rates participation in higher education, and finally in the achievement of excellence and building human capital for the service of the nation. Other scholarship schemes for SC students are the Pre-Matric Scholarship, Top Class Education Scheme for studying in premier educational institutions and the National Fellowship Scheme run in conjunction with UGC.
Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY)
It focuses on the integrated development of SC majority villages. The programme is being taken up in villages that have more than 50% SC population
Social Empowerment – Senior Citizens
Many senior citizens feel neglected and unwanted in the twilight years of their life. The government has taken measures to enable them to lead a respectable life with economic self-sufficiency. Some of the schemes for senior citizens are listed below.
Atal Pension Yojana
It is a government-backed pension scheme in India, primarily targeted at the unorganised sector. All subscribing workers below the age of 40 are eligible for a pension of up to ₹5,000 per month on the attainment of 60 years of age.
Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana
It is a scheme for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens belonging to the BPL category. This is a Scheme, fully funded by the Central Government. The expenditure for implementation of the scheme will be met from the “Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund”. The Scheme will be implemented through the sole implementing agency – Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO), a PSU under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana
This is a pension scheme for senior citizens. This is to enable old age income security and the welfare of Senior Citizens.
FAQs
Q: What measures were taken to promote social empowerment in India after independence?
- The Indian Constitution, adopted in 1950, laid the foundation for social empowerment by providing fundamental rights such as equality before the law, freedom of speech, and prohibition of discrimination.
- Reservation policies were implemented to uplift marginalized communities, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes, in education, employment, and politics.
- Land reforms were initiated to address historical inequalities in land ownership, aiming to empower rural communities and reduce socio-economic disparities.
- Various social welfare schemes were introduced to provide healthcare, education, and employment opportunities to the underprivileged, such as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
Q: How did the government address caste-based discrimination in post-independence India?
- The government outlawed untouchability and caste-based discrimination through constitutional provisions and legislative measures.
- Affirmative action programs, such as reservation quotas in education and government jobs, were implemented to provide opportunities for historically disadvantaged caste groups.
- Awareness campaigns and social initiatives were launched to challenge caste prejudices and promote social integration and harmony.
Q: What efforts were made to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment post-independence?
- Legal reforms were introduced to grant women equal rights in areas such as inheritance, property ownership, and divorce.
- Policies and programs were implemented to increase female literacy rates and encourage women’s participation in education and workforce.
- Special schemes like the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (Save Girl Child, Educate Girl Child) were launched to address issues like female foeticide and promote girls’ education.
Q: How did the government tackle poverty and socio-economic disparities after independence?
- Poverty alleviation programs like the Green Revolution aimed to increase agricultural productivity and improve rural livelihoods.
- Social welfare schemes such as the Public Distribution System (PDS) were introduced to provide food security to vulnerable populations.
- Initiatives like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) were implemented to guarantee employment and income opportunities to rural households.
Q: What role did grassroots movements and civil society organizations play in promoting social empowerment in post-independence India?
- Grassroots movements and civil society organizations have been instrumental in advocating for the rights of marginalized communities, challenging social injustices, and promoting inclusive development.
- NGOs and community-based organizations have implemented various projects and initiatives focusing on education, healthcare, women’s empowerment, and sustainable livelihoods at the grassroots level.
- These movements have contributed to raising awareness, mobilizing communities, and pressuring the government to address issues related to social empowerment and human rights.
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