Social

Empowerment
SOCIAL ISSUES

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Social Empowerment
Empowerment is a set of measures aimed at increasing people's and communities' autonomy and self-
determination so that they can represent their own interests in a responsible and self-determined manner.
People's perceptions of being empowered change through time, culture, and life domains. The fundamental
benefit of empowerment is that it will result in more holistic and inclusive development of society.

Contents
 Empowerment
 Definition
 Social Empowerment
 Need for Social Empowerment
 Magnilisation and the Marginalised
 Definition
 Dimensions
 Denials and Deprivations
 Artificial Structure of Hierarchy
 Providing Legitimacy
 Socially Disadvantaged Groups in India
 Scheduled Tribes
 Problems Faced by Scheduled Tribes
 Poverty and Exploitation
 Low literacy
 Unemployment
 Lack of Baseline Surveys
 Scheduled Castes
 Problems Faced by Scheduled Castes
 Social Problems

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 Economic problems
 Educational Problems
 Initiatives for Social Empowerment of Scheduled Castes
 Untouchability (Offenses) Act, 1955
 Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. 1989
 Stand Up India Scheme
 Women
 Problems Faced by Women
 Violence against Women and Girls
 Pink Colourisation of Jobs
 Health Problems
 Gender Pay Gap
 Gap in Digital Literacy
 Patriarchy
 Lack of Education
 Lack of Political Representation
 Challenges due to the Covid-19 Pandemic
 Initiatives for Social Empowerment of Women
 Health Initiatives
 Education Initiatives
 Reservation Initiatives
 Safety Initiatives
 Entrepreneurship Initiatives
 Other Empowerment Schemes
 Minorities
 Types of Minorities in India
 Linguistic Minorities
 Religious Minorities
 Problems Faced by
Minorities
 Communal Violence
and Riots
 Identity
 Insecurity Problems
 Lack of
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Representation
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 Initiatives for Social Empowerment of Minorities

 PM’s 15 Point Programme
 Hamari Dharohar Scheme
 USTAAD Scheme
 Strengthening of State Waqf Boards
 Nai Roshni
 Jiyo Parsi
 Rural People
 Problems Faced by Rural People
 Economic Problems
 Social Factors
 Health Problems
 Initiatives for Social Empowerment of Rural People
 Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G)
 Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)
 Integrated Rural Development Program (IRDP)
 PM UJJWALA Yojana
 AMRUT Scheme
 RURBAN Mission
 Deendayal Antyodya Yojana
 Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
 Disabled People
 Problems Faced by Disabled People
 Discrimination
 Isolation
 Lack of infrastructure
 Limited monitoring capacity
 Initiatives for Social Empowerment of Disabled People
 Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016
 DISHA
 NIRAMAYA
 National Fellowship for Students with Disabilities
 Practice Mains Questions

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Empowerment
Definition
 The World Bank defines empowerment as ‘the expansion of assets and capabilities of poor people to
participate in, negotiate with, influence control, and hold accountable institutions that affect their lives.’

 Empowerment refers to a feeling of self-determination or autonomy of an individual or a group of

individuals. Such autonomy allows people to work and act on their own authority at the same time
representing their own interests as well as interests of those they care about.

 Empowerment is also a process where an individual grows emancipated and self-assured especially in
demanding for their own rights. It eliminates their feelings of inferiority and powerlessness.

Social Empowerment
 Social empowerment in India means that all sections of society should have equal control over their lives,
be able to make important life decisions, and have equal opportunities. A nation's development is
considered inclusive only if all elements of society are equally empowered.

 The process of establishing a sense of autonomy and self-confidence, as well as acting individually and
collectively to change social relationships, institutions, and discourses that exclude and keep poor people
in poverty, is referred to as social empowerment.

 Individual assets (such as land, housing, livestock, savings) and capabilities of all kinds (such as good
health and education), social (such as social belonging, a sense of identity, leadership relations), and
psychological (such as the ability to hold others accountable) strongly influence poor people's
empowerment and ability to hold others accountable (self-esteem, self-confidence, the ability to imagine
and aspire to a better future). People's collective assets and capabilities, such as voice, organization,
representation, and identification, are also crucial.

Policies &
Schemes by Ability to freely
Dimensions of Social Economic Political Educational Judiciary & make
Empowerment Empowerment Empowerment Empowerment Executive decisions
Empowerment Empowerment

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Need for Social Empowerment

 Social empowerment is both a moral imperative and a constitutional promise in India. Social prejudice,
often known as historical injustice, has a long history in our country.

 The SCs and STs have become socially disempowered and have faced numerous issues as a result of the
caste-based divide and its negative conclusion in the form of untouchability.

 Women have become socially disempowered as a result of patriarchy as well as caste discrimination.

 Similarly, there are groups such as the elderly, women, people with disabilities (PwDs), children, and
others that require government assistance to become empowered.

 Hence, the social empowerment of these disadvantaged groups will eventually bridge the gap created by
historical wrongs and lead the path to inclusive development of the country.

Marginalisation and the Marginalised

Definition
 In common language, marginalisation is a complex process of relegating specific groups of individuals to
the lower or outer reaches of society. It successfully pushes these people to the periphery of society,
based on the economic, political, cultural, and social boundaries of exclusion and inclusion.

 Being marginalised can result in being forced to live on the outskirts of things, rather than in the center.
Exclusion in the social environment of people all over the world in all aspects of their lives.

 Communities are unable to make use of existing resources and opportunities due to their perception of
difference and exclusion.

 Communities feel powerless and disadvantaged compared to more powerful and wealthy members of
society who own land, are wealthy, well-educated, and have political clout.

 A mix of economic, social, cultural, and political factors has led to the marginalisation of certain groups in
society.

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Dimensions
Denials and Deprivations
 Economically, a substantial segment of society is denied equal access to productive resources, routes for
realising their productive human potential, and opportunities to utilise their full capacity.

 Politically, this relegation denies these people equitable access to the formal power structure and
participation in decision-making processes, resulting in their subordination to and dependence on the
society's economically and politically powerful groups.

 As a result of being culturally separated from society's mainstream, they become a "part society with part
culture," a "outsider for within," alienated, and fragmented.

 Ignorant of social norms, illiterate, uneducated, and reliant. They are confined to a subhuman existence
on the outskirts of society, without the fundamental needs of life.

Artificial Structure of Hierarchy

 Natural distinctions between men and women, linguistic or ethnic groupings, and so on are arranged in a
hierarchy based on the principles of dominance and subordination.

 This trend of hierarchization has resulted in social groups being structured in a ranking of people, with a
powerful few at the social and economic helm dictating the mainstream people of the society, polity, and
economy.

 The majority is powerless, occupying the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder and surviving on the
outskirts of society.

Providing Legitimacy
 The process of marginalisation has always been rooted in a socio-cultural framework.

 Significant institutional, normative, and ideological foundations exist, arising from the fundamental
interpretation of institutional and normative structures of caste, ethnicity, race, gender, patriarchy,
religion, and so on, to provide legitimacy to marginalisation processes.

 Socialisation, education, politicisation, enculturation, and other continuing activities all contribute to their
perpetuation in society.

 Thus, over time, the socially constructed marginalized categories of low caste, tribes, women, blacks, and
so on, come to seem as empirical categories.

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Socially Disadvantaged Groups in India

Socially Marginalised
 Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), educationally backward
minorities, women, children, the elderly, and spatial categories such as backward/remote village and
slum inhabitants are examples of social categories.

Economically Marginalised
 People living in poverty, petty artisans, landless agricultural labour, semi-landless marginal cultivators,
unskilled or semiskilled construction labour, unorganised sector workers, and others are among the
economic groups.

Special Categories
 Special categories include people such as the physically impaired.

Scheduled Tribes
According to the 2011 census, the country's tribal population accounts for 8.6% of the overall population
(43 crores). However, 89.97% of them live in rural areas, whereas 10.03 percent dwell in cities. Primitive
Tribal Groups account for 1.57 percent (about 1.32 million) of the total (PTGs).

 There are around 705 unique ethnic groups/tribes registered as Scheduled Tribes in 30 states/UTs.

 The Scheduled Tribe (ST) population is a diverse group of people living in various parts of India. Language,
cultural customs, social position, and livelihood patterns all show variances.

 More than two-thirds of the country's ST population lives in seven states: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Orissa, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh. Noo Scheduled Tribes have been designated in
three states (Delhi NCR, Punjab, and Haryana) and two UTs (Puducherry and Chandigarh); there is no ST
population.

 According to the 2011 census, indigenous residents have substantially less access to tap water, sanitary
facilities, drainage infrastructure, and clean cooking fuel.

 Practice of endogamy is practiced by many tribes. It can result in a kind of self-segregation by the group
to avoid fully integrating and merging with the surrounding population.

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 Tribal communities live in diverse ecological and climatic conditions ranging from plains to forests and
hills.

 Tribes are at various degrees of socioeconomic, educational, and cultural development. While some
tribes have adopted a mainstream lifestyle, there are 75 Scheduled Tribes that have been designated by
the Ministry of Home Affairs as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

Points to Remember
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)

 PVTGs are characterised by a primeval level of technology, stagnant or declining population, physical isola-
tion, extremely low literacy rates, and subsistence level of the economy.

 There are 75 Scheduled Tribes designated by the Ministry of Home Affairs as PVTGs. PVTGs live in 18 states
and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

 Notable PVTGs in India include:

States Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)

Kerala Cholanaikayan, Kadar, Kurumbas, Irulas, Kattunayakan, Koraga

Bihar and Jharkhand Asurs, Birhor, Birjia, Hill Kharia, Konvas, Mal Paharia, Parhaiyas, Sauda Pahariya, Savar

Andhra Pradesh and Bodo Gabada, Bondo Poroja, Chenchu, Dongria Khond, Gutob Gadaba, Khand Poroja, Kolan,
Telangana Kondareddis, Konda Savaras, Kutia Khond, Parengi Poroja, Birhor

Madhya Pradesh and

Chhattisgarh Abujh Machias, Baigas, Bharias, Hill Korbas, Kamars Saharias, Birhor

Maharashtra Katkaria, Kolam, Maria Gond

Tamil Nadu Kattu Nayakans, Kotas, Kurumbas, Irulas, Paniyans todas

Uttar Pradesh and

Uttarakhand Buxas, Rajis

Andaman and Nicobar

Islands Great Andamanese, Jarawas, Onges, Sentinelese, Shorn Pens

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Problems faced by Scheduled Tribes

Poverty and Exploitation
 Because of their innocence, the indigenous population is exploited, and they are pushed into poverty.

 They have lived in forests from the beginning of time, but as the government-imposed restrictions, many
became bound labourers who were exploited.

 In India, 52 percent of STs are below the poverty line (BPL), and 54 percent lack access to economic
assets such as communication and transportation (World Bank, 2011).

 Contributing factors include dependence on agriculture, natural disasters, crop failure, limited access to
land, and a lack of jobs.

Low Literacy
 The tribal people face the constant problem of a low literacy rate.

 Although literacy is higher among the tribes of the north-eastern and island areas, the north-eastern
region also has a high dropout rate and a high infant mortality rate.

 According to the Census 2011 data, the literacy rate for the Scheduled Castes is 59%, which is far below
the national literacy rate of 73%.

Unemployment
 The tribals of the island region have significant unemployment rates.

 STs face issues such as forced migration, exploitation, and displacement as a result of industrialization,
which has resulted in a loss of control over natural resources, and they are unable to adapt to the new
labour and resource patterns.

 According to the Period Labour Force Survey (2018-19), India’s unemployment rate was 5.8%. The rate
increased from 4.3% to 4.5% for the Scheduled Tribes.

Lack of Baseline Surveys

 Even after proclaiming them PVTGs, the Anthropological Survey of India found 75 PVTGs, including
baseline surveys for around 40 of them.

 The lack of baseline surveys makes it difficult to execute social programmes effectively.

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Constitutional Provisions for Scheduled Tribes

It protects the interests of minorities. It has a provision that any citizen for the preservation
Article 29 of culture for any citizen/section of citizens having distinct language or script.

It provides for the provision of special care of educational and economic interests of weaker
Article 46 sections, in particular, of SCs and STs.

Article 275 (1) It provides grants-in-aid to states having scheduled tribes.

It provides adequate facilities for education instruction in the mother tongue for primary clas-
Article 350A ses.

Fifth Schedule Article

244 (1) The article describes Scheduled Areas. There are ten Scheduled areas in India.

Sixth Schedule Article This schedule deals with the administration of tribal areas in the four north-eastern states of
244 Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.

Legislative Provisions for Scheduled Tribes

Scheduled Tribes and

Other Traditional
Forest Dwellers This Act recognised the forest and habitat rights of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups. It
(Recognition of For- has a special section regarding 75 PVTGs.
est Rights) Act, 2006

Provisions of Pancha-
yats (Extension to It brings India's Scheduled Areas within the umbrella of the Panchayati Raj system. This act,
the Scheduled Areas) however, does not apply to Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram, as well
Acr, 1996 as some other places, such as scheduled and tribal territories.

Andaman and Nico-

bar (Protection of This act safeguards the Sentinelese and other indigenous communities of the Andaman and
Aboriginal Tribes) Nicobar Islands.
Regulation, 1956

Foreigners having a restricted area permit (RAP) are allowed to stay in the Andaman and
Foreigners Nicobar Islands, which have been classified as a restricted area. However, to encourage tour-
(Restricted Areas) ism and investment in the area, the Ministry of Home Affairs excluded 30 islands from the
Order, 1963 Restricted Area Permit regime in 2018.

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Scheduled Castes
 Scheduled castes are those castes/races in the country that face extreme social, educational, and
economic backwardness as a result of the centuries-old practice of untouchability, as well as certain
others due to a lack of infrastructure and geographic isolation, and who require special attention to
protect their interests and accelerate their socio-economic development.

 According to the terms of Clause 1 of Article 341 of the Constitution, these communities were designated
as Scheduled Castes.

 Originally the situation of Harijans was in many respects worse than slavery, according to K.M. Pannikar.
The slave, at the very least, was a master's chattel and thus had a unique relationship with his master.
The barbarism of personal slavery was tempered by considerations of economic self-interest and even
human feelings

Article 341(1) – the President of India, after consultation with the Governor, may specify, “the castes, races,
tribes or parts of groups within castes or races, which shall be deemed to be Scheduled Castes”.

Problems faced by Scheduled Castes

Social Problems
 The scheduled Castes face many social problems which mostly stem from the incorrect concept of purity
and pollution. The untouchables were relegated to a low social status.

 They were denied many of the basic human rights that 'upper-caste' Hindus enjoyed. They were also
denied entry to temples and other important public places.

Economic Problems
 The scheduled castes have been facing many economic problems. Untouchables have traditionally been
denied ownership of their own land. They were not permitted to operate a business. They were not
allowed to work in professions that were performed by persons of other castes.

 The scheduled castes were not allowed to work in any occupation that suited their abilities; instead, they
were forced to sweep the streets, remove dead cattle, and perform heavy agricultural labour. They were
mostly landless labourers.

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Educational Problems
 The scheduled castes have always been denied access to schooling.

 They were not permitted to attend any public schools. Even now, the majority of illiterates are
considered untouchables.

Initiatives for Social Empowerment of Scheduled Castes

Untouchability (Offenses) Act, 1955
 The Untouchability (Offenses) Act, 1955 was enacted in accordance with Article 17 of the Indian
Constitution. Article 17 abolishes the practice of untouchability in all its forms.

 The Act covers the entire country of India and punishes those who practice untouchability. The state
governments and union territory administrations are in charge of implementing it.

 In September 1976, the Act was amended and was renamed as Protection of Civil Rights Act.

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. 1989

 The Act of 1989 is a law that prohibits atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

 States and UTs are given financial assistance in enforcing the Act such as in the case of providing relief to
atrocity victims, providing an incentive for inter-caste marriages, raising awareness, and establishing
exclusive Special tribunals, among other things.

 To promote their educational empowerment, various scholarships are available to students from the SCs
at both the pre-matric and post-matric levels to guarantee that education is not denied due to their
families' financial circumstances.

Stand Up India Scheme

 The Scheme was launched in 2016 and is similar to the Start-Up India scheme.

 It offers support to entrepreneurship among ST and SC communities, and women.

 It facilitates bank loans between Rs. 10 Lakh and 1 crore to at least 1 SC/ST and 1 woman per bank branch
for setting up a greenfield enterprise.

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Women
 Women's empowerment and autonomy, as well as improvements in their political, social, economic, and
health status, are all essential goals in and of themselves. Furthermore, it is necessary for achieving long-
term development. In productive and reproductive life, both women and men must fully participate and
partner, including shared responsibility for child care and nurturing, as well as household maintenance.
Women's lives, health, and well-being are being jeopardized all across the world as a result of their
overworked status and lack of authority and influence.

 To effect change, policy and programme actions must be taken to improve women's access to secure
livelihoods and economic resources, reduce their extreme domestic responsibilities, remove legal barriers
to their participation in public life, and raise social awareness through effective education and mass
communication programmes.

Problems Faced by Women

Violence against Women and Girls
 Also known as gender-based violence, includes violent acts committed against women or girls. Such acts
are types of hate crimes and result from historically unequal power relations between men and women.
Women are forced into a lower or submissive position as compared to men. Such acts take the form of
human trafficking, domestic violence, rape, acid attack, eve-teasing, etc.

Points to Remember
NCRB Report on Crimes against Women - Comparison between 2019 and 2020

 Pandemic-hit 2020 saw crimes against women in cities falling by 8.3%.

 There were 371,503 incidents of crime against women registered across the country in 2020, compared to
405,326 in 2019.

 The state with the most such cases (49,385) was Uttar Pradesh, followed by West Bengal (36,439), Raja-
sthan (34,535), Maharashtra (31,954), and Madhya Pradesh (31,954).

 Rape, outraging modesty, dowry deaths and harassment, acid attacks, and kidnapping are all examples of
crimes against women.

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Pink Colourisation of Jobs

 Women are mainly viewed as suitable for "pink-collar positions," such as teachers, nurses, receptionists,
babysitters, lecturers, and other female-dominated occupations. This limits their options in other areas.

Health Problems
 Malnutrition

 In India, there are approximately 189.2 million individuals who are undernourished, the majority
of whom are women and children. India's profile in the Global Hunger Index is well-known for
malnutrition and the widespread occurrence of stunting, wasting, and nutritional inadequacies
among mothers and children.

 Undernutrition and anemia affect over half of Indian women, especially pregnant women, posing
a severe threat to the country's food security. This is mostly due to the fact that malnourished
women might perpetuate the cycle of malnutrition by passing on nutritional and vitamin deficits
to their newborns.

 High Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR)

 Pregnancy and childbirth have resulted in a high number of deaths in India over the years. The
reasons for high MMR include malnutrition and unsanitary livelihood, the spread of diseases,
unawareness about basic healthcare, hemorrhage, and incorrect delivery techniques.

 The Sample Registration Survey (SRS) in India is used to calculate the maternal mortality rate.
MMR appears to be on the decline due to programs such as Labour Room Quality Improvement
Initiative (LaQshya), Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Janani Suraksha Yojana
(JSY), Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), and overall improvements in
maternal health over the years.

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 Reproductive Health Problems

 Such health problems include Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), Sexually Transmitted Diseases
(STDs), Cervical cancer, Breast cancer, etc.

 Strategies for elimination and management of such health problems can be done by introducing
sex education among adolescents, creating awareness about the regular medical checkups for
diagnosing such diseases, birth control methods, pregnancy, and childbirth care of the baby and
the mother, and providing proper medical facilities.

Gender Pay Gap

 According to the UN, the global average gender pay gap is 11% between men and women. This is a form
of gender discrimination where women do not get equal pay as men for doing the same work.

 In the Global Gender Gap Index 2020, India was rated 112th out of 153 countries.

Gap in Digital Literacy

 The digital gender gap in India is enormous, with females accounting for less than a third of total interest
users (29%) in the country.

 In developing countries, women use the internet at a rate 12 percent lower than men.

Patriarchy
 Patriarchy is a family system in which men hold primary power in the decision-making process of the
family, group, or government.

 Women are mostly treated as second-class. This system hinders the social and economic development of
women. Gender discrimination is universal in society which is a sad reality. It takes the form of various
social evils such as dowry, sexual harassment, polygamy, etc.

Lack of Education
 Girls' and women's education is an important aspect of national development. However, since
independence, many steps have been taken to increase women’s education in the country. As per the
2011 Census, India’s literacy rate was 74% and women’s literacy rate was 65.46%. The reasons for the
low literary rate for women are social discrimination, gender equality, and the occupation of girls in
domestic chores. Some reasons why girls drop out of school are financial constraints, non-availability of
schools in close proximity, unsafe means of transportation, and lack of proper toilet facilities.

 The 15th edition of the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), 2020 showed that the proportion of
girls enrolled in government schools has risen from 70% in 2019 to 70%.

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 According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), student enrolment has increased by 11.4
percent in the last five years, from 2015-16 to 2019-20. During this time, female enrolment in higher
education increased by 18.2 percent. The increase in enrollment numbers is seen as a positive step in
achieving women’s empowerment.

 India has historically had more rural women working than urban women, despite having one of the
lowest female labour force participation rates in the world. Prior to Covid, approximately 25% of rural
women worked, compared to 18% of urban women. And it's the women in rural areas who have bore
the brunt of the lockdowns and Covid-19.

 According to the National Task Force on women's science report, only 15% of the Indian research and
development workforce are women (global average is 30%).

Lack of Political Representation

 India is ranked 18th in terms of political empowerment in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender
Gap Report 2020.

 Female representation in higher offices, however, remains low. Women's representation at the state
level, in particular, has gone far behind, barring women from key positions of institutional power and
decision-making.

According to the data of the Election Commission of India, women comprise just 10.5% of the total
members of the Parliament and 9% of the total number of Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs).

Challenges due to the Covid-19 Pandemic

 COVID-19 is still hurting people's lives and livelihoods all across the world. The pandemic and its
economic ramifications are also affecting gender equality. Employment for women is more vulnerable to
the crisis than jobs for males. Prior to COVID-19, women made up 20% of the workforce in India; their
share of job losses due to industry mix alone is estimated to be 17%, but unemployment surveys imply
that they account for 23% of overall job losses.

Initiatives for Social Empowerment of Women

Health Initiatives
 Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017

 The Amendment increases paid maternity leave from twelve (12) weeks to twenty-six (26) weeks
for women employees with fewer than two surviving children.

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 After completing twenty-six (26) weeks of maternity leave, the Maternity Amendment allows
mothers to work from home, subject to their job profiles and the agreement of their employer.

 Amendment of Abortion Law

 Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act, 2021 allows for pregnancy abortion up to 24
weeks, but only for certain vulnerable women.

 The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA)

 The scheme which was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides a fixed
day for pregnant women to receive free, thorough, and high-quality antenatal care on the 9th
of every month. This program improves antenatal care detection and follow-up of high-risk
pregnancies helps to prevent maternal mortality and lowers India's MMR.

 Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK)

 This program includes free maternity services for women and children, a statewide rollout of
emergency referral systems and maternal death audits, as well as improvements in healthcare
governance and administration at all levels

Education Initiatives
 Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

 The scheme was launched in 2015 and the objective is to prevent sex discrimination based on
gender, ensure the girl child's life and protection along with her education and participation.

Reservation Initiatives
 Many states are offering reservation of seats in elections for women. For example, the Odisha assembly
unanimously passed a resolution for providing a 33% reservation for women in Legislative assemblies
and the Parliament. The Uttar Pradesh government has also reserved 33% municipal elections seats for
women.

Safety Initiatives
 One Stop Centre Scheme

 The scheme was launched in 2015 as well. It aims to provide support and financial assistance to
women suffering from violence, including domestic violence.

 It aims to support such women to file First Information Report (FIR) in a police station as well as
provide them psychological and social support.

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 Women Helpline Scheme

 The scheme provides 24-hour telecom service to women suffering from violence, in public or
private spaces. The service helps women by informing them about appropriate government
schemes and programs dealing with violence of women, and referring them to agencies such as
the police, District Legal Service Authority (DLSA), Ambulance services or hospitals, etc.

 UJJAWALA

 The scheme aims to prevent women and child trafficking for sexual exploitation, rescue victims of
such trafficking and provide rehabilitation services.

Entrepreneurship Initiatives
 Mahila-e-Haat

 The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched this direct online marketing tool to
promote women entrepreneurs. This is part of the government's 'Digital India' project.

 Swadhar Scheme

 The Swadhar scheme was launched by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development in
2002 to help women in challenging situations to get back on their feet.

 This program aims to offer marginalized women and girls housing, food, clothes, and care.
Widows abandoned by their families and relatives, women convicts freed from prison and
without family assistance, women survivors of natural catastrophes, women victims of terrorist/
extremist violence, and so on are among the beneficiaries. The majority of the implementing
agencies are non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Other Empowerment Schemes

 Mahila Shakti Kendra Scheme

 The goal of the project is to empower rural women by involving them in community activities
and creating an atmosphere in which they can reach their full potential.

 The scheme is multi-dimensional. The national level provides knowledge support, the state level
provides (State Resource Centre for Women) technical assistance on women's issues, and district
and block level centres will support Mahila Shakti Kendras. The scheme is expected to cover in
phases over 640 districts.

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Role of Women Rights Organisations

Role of United Nations Women
 Through its support for women farmers and manual scavengers, UN Women seeks to enhance women's
economic empowerment. Another aim is to eliminate all forms of violence, including domestic
violence, human trafficking, and violence in public areas.
 UN Women works with agencies like NITI Aayog to ensure that policies and budgets reflect women's
needs, and advocates for increased participation of women in politics and decision-making. UN Women
teaches peacekeepers to recognise and stop conflict-related sexual violence as part of its work on
peace and security.
Role of National Commission for Women (NCW)
 The Commission makes legislative recommendations, promotes grievance resolution and advises the
government on all policy issues affecting women. It has all of the same authorities as a civil court.
 It conducts inquiry and investigation of matters related to the safeguarding of women's rights, takes part
in the planning process, and legal intervention by redressal and speedy disposal of cases.

Minorities
 The term "minority" isn't defined clearly anywhere in the Indian Constitution. However, minority means
the smaller part of a larger whole. It is a part which is less than 50% of the whole. Minorities can be
defined with respect to language or religion in India.

 The word 'minority' appears in several articles of the Indian Constitution, including Articles 29, 30, 350 A,
and 350 B.

National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992

 Under this Act, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jain, and Zoroastrians (Parsis) have been
designated as minority communities.

 According to the 2011 Census, minorities account for around 19.3 percent of the country's overall
population. Muslims account for 14.2 percent of the population, Christians for 2.3 percent, Sikhs for
1.7 percent, Buddhists for 0.7 percent, Jain for 0.4 percent, and Parsis for 0.006 percent.

 States also have the authority to designate state minorities and establish State Minority Commissions.
Jains, for example, were identified as a minority by 11 states before being recognised nationwide in 2014.

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This Article deals with the protection of the interests of minorities. Clause 1 states that any group
Article 29 of citizens residing in the territory of India, having a distinct culture, script or language, will have
the right to conserve the same.

According to this Article, a religious or linguistic minority group shall have the right to establish
Article 36 and run educational institutions.

Types of Minorities in India

Linguistic Minorities
 A linguistic minority is a group of people whose mother tongue differs from that of the state's majority
language. The constitution ensures that the rights of linguistic minorities are protected.

Religious Minorities
 Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jain, and Zoroastrians (Parsis) have been designated as minority
communities under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.

Problems Faced by Minorities

Communal Violence and Riots
 When there is a communal riot or conflict, the minority's interests are jeopardised. Following the 1960s,
the number of cases of social unrest began to rise.

 As a result of the extent and frequency of communal disturbances, the minority is losing faith in the
system, and it will be extremely difficult for the administration to restore that faith.

Identity
 Minorities must contend with the issue of identification due to disparities in sociocultural practices,
history, and heritage.

 As a result, the issue of adjusting to the majority community arises.

Insecurity Problems
 Different identities acquire emotions of insecurity about their lives, assets, and well-being as a result of
their tiny numbers in comparison to the rest of society.

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Lack of Representation
 Although the Indian Constitution guarantees equality and equal chances to all people, including religious
minorities, they are not able to obtain equivalent representation in politics and civil services.

Initiatives for Social Empowerment of Minorities

Prime Minister’s 15 Point programme
 The Prime Minister's new 15-point plan for minorities' welfare, which is an overarching plan that
encompasses several activities from various ministries. The programme aims to improve skills and
provide training in the preservation of minorities' traditional ancestral arts and crafts.

Hamari Darohar Scheme

 A scheme named Hamari Darohar was created in India to conserve the rich and diverse legacy of minority
communities.

USTAAD Scheme
 The scheme aims to improve minorities' skills and training in the preservation of traditional ancestral arts
and crafts.

Strengthening State Waqf Boards

 The government has also sought to strengthen Wakf boards and state Wakf boards with training and
administrative costs.

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Nai Roshni
 The scheme is to reach out to women through non-governmental organisations, which would be given
financial assistance.

 It also intends to undertake leadership development training to empower and embolden women to leave
the limits of their homes and communities.

Jiyo Parsi
 This scheme was initiated by the MInistry of Minority Affairs in 2013.
It was launched to check the declining Parsi population.

 It consists of three components:

 Advocacy component which includes awareness campaigns

 Health of Community component which includes Childcare and Creche

support, elderly assistance, etc.

 Medical Components includes financial assistance for detection and

treatment of infertility, etc.

Rural People
 In India, the bulk of the population still lives in rural areas. Despite the fact that rural migration has been
occurring for many years, the rural areas still house over 65 percent of the inhabitants.

 A variety of issues are faced by people living in rural areas. They face a lack of essential social services,
such as good educational facilities, health care, transportation, communication, electricity, among others.

Problems Faced by Rural People

Economic Problems
 As the majority of the rural population is dependent on agriculture for sustenance, they suffer economic
setbacks when natural catastrophes like droughts, floods, and pest attacks destroy their crops.

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 The majority of the population holds small and fragmented landholdings which can lead to soil
degradation. It also greatly limits their economic potential.

 Lack of mechanisation in agriculture, unscientific use of fertilisers and pesticides, and inadequate storage
facilities also lead to economic losses.

 According to statistics, rural unemployment rates reached an all-time high of 10.63 percent in May 2021.
The economic losses were compounded when migrant labourers working lost their jobs in cities and were
unable to send remittances to their native villages.

Social Factors
 The majority of the rural population faces issues such as a low illiteracy rate, inadequate infrastructure,
gender pay gap, the prevalence of child marriage, high unemployment (especially seasonal and disguised
unemployment), and unskilled labour.

Health Problems
 Rural areas face the issues of malnutrition, high Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), high Infant Mortality
Rate (IMR), stunting, and wasting. The reasons for these health problems are poor health awareness, lack
of basic health care facilities and infrastructure, and poor sanitation.

 Data from the Sample Registration System suggests that the number of people in rural areas visiting
doctors has increased. This is a good step towards ensuring better healthcare facilities reaching the rural
sections of the country. However, the situation is still worse than the urban areas.

Initiatives for Social Empowerment of Rural People

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G)
 The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Gramin (PMAY-G) was created in response to the government's pledge
to offer 'Housing for All' in rural areas by 2022. By 2022, the project intends to provide all houseless
households living in kutcha and decaying dwellings with a pucca house with basic utilities.

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)

 As part of a poverty-reduction strategy, the Indian government launched it to bring connectivity to
unconnected habitats. In order to maintain sustainable maintenance of the rural road network, the
Indian government is working to establish high and uniform technical and management standards while
also facilitating policy creation and planning at the state level.

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Integrated Rural Development Program (IRDP)

 IRDP aims to alleviate rural poverty by distributing income-generating assets to the underprivileged in
rural India.

 The major goal of the IRDP is to pull families from the selected target groups out of poverty by providing
them with long-term prospects for self-employment in the rural sector.

 The government provides assistance in the form of subsidies and financial institutions (commercial banks,
cooperatives, and regional rural banks) provide term credit.

PM UJJWALA Yojana
 The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana was created to protect women's and families' health from unhealthy
fuel consumption by supplying them with clean cooking fuel in the form of LPG.

 The initiative aims to preserve women's health by reducing the health risks associated with the
consumption of fossil fuels and other cooking fuels. Furthermore, it decreases casualties caused by
unclean fuels and controls respiratory disorders caused by the use of harmful fuels. Apart from improving
women's health, this project aims to empower women in rural India by providing connections in the
names of the women in the household.

AMRUT Scheme
 The scheme was launched in 2015 under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The scheme's goal is
to ensure that every family has access to a water tap with a reliable supply of water as well as a sewerage
connection. Water supply is the Mission's first priority, followed by sewerage.

 It also aims to improve cities' amenity value by promoting greenery and well-kept open areas (e.g. parks).
Reducing pollution by using public transportation or creating non-motorized transportation facilities (e.g.
walking and cycling) is another objective of the scheme.

RURBAN Mission
 Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission is a scheme launched by the Ministry of Rural Development
(MoRD) in 2016. It has the objective to introduce economic development and skill development in rural
areas and thus, bridging the gap between rural and urban areas.

 Rurban clusters have been discovered in the country's rural areas that are showing signs of urbanisation,
such as increased population density, high non-farm employment, the existence of growing economic
activity, and other socioeconomic factors.

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Deendayal Antyodya Yojana (National Rural Livelihood Mission)

 The DAY-NRLM is primarily a government-run poverty alleviation programme.

 The Ministry of Rural Development of the Government of India introduced it as 'Aajeevika – National
Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM)' in 2011. In 2015, it was called DAY-NRLM.

 The scheme is an enhanced version of the previous Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (Swarnjayanti
Gram Swarozgar Yojana) (SGSY).

 The World Bank contributes to the initiative in part.

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

 The scheme provides insurance protection for food crops, oilseeds, and other commercial/horticultural
crops.

 The difference between the actual premium and the rate of insurance paid by farmers will be split evenly
between the Centre and the State.

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Disabled People
 In their daily lives, people with disabilities (PwDs) face stigma and have their dignity eroded. According to
the 2011 Census, there are 68 crore people with disabilities in India, accounting for 2.21 percent of the
overall population. However, the World Health Organization estimates that 15% of the world's population
is disabled.

 Men with disabilities account for 56% of the population, while women with impairments account for
44%. People with vision, hearing, speaking, locomotory, and mental problems are among them.

 The Indian Constitution guarantees all citizens equality, liberty, justice, and dignity, and implicitly
mandates an inclusive society for all, including people with disabilities. As a result, state governments
bear the primary duty of empowering people with disabilities.

This Article of the Indian Constitution says that the state must provide appropriate provisions for
Article 41 safeguarding the right to education, job, and public assistance for individuals with disabilities. The
State Governments are directly responsible for the empowerment of persons with disabilities.

Problems Faced by Disabled People

Discrimination
 Disabled persons, like the rest of the population, have some abilities, needs, and interests. Discrimination
did, however, persist in a few key areas. Some companies were hesitant to hire or promote disabled
persons; some landlords refused to rent them land, and courts denied them basic rights such as child
custody. This situation has improved in recent decades as a result of legislative improvements and public
perception shifts.

Isolation
 The greatest problem for disabled persons has been society's misunderstanding that they are not normal.
They've been pitied, neglected, reviled, and even institutionalized in the past.

Lack of infrastructure
 Problems with vehicle design (high and incompatible steps of vehicles from the platform level, especially
in public transportation), as well as public and private buildings built without adequate provisions for
disabled accessibility. In India, the lack of accessible toilets, stairs, and other basic infrastructure in public
buildings is still a major issue.

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Limited monitoring capacity

 The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), which is the national nodal
department for issues affecting PwDs, has a number of programmes. However, many of these initiatives
have a modest budget, and the resources that are available are not used to their maximum potential.
Because a number of programmes are implemented through NGOs, the department's monitoring
capacity is likewise limited, which is a serious difficulty.

Initiatives for Social Empowerment of Disabled People

It is suggested that disabled persons should be referred to as divyang (divine people) rather than viklang
(disabled people). However, even the term divyang is considered controversial as it takes away the reality
from the lives of differently-abled people.

Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016

 This statute establishes a dynamic and developing definition of disability.

 The number of disabilities covered by the statute has been raised from seven to twenty-one. In addition,
the Government has been empowered to notify any other type of designated handicap.

 Persons with “benchmark disabilities” are defined as those certified to have at least 40 percent of the
disabilities stated in the Act.

 Every kid between the ages of 6 and 18 who has a baseline disability has the right to free education.

 For some persons or classes of persons with benchmark disabilities, the percentage of vacancies in
government establishments has been increased from 3% to 4%.

 The Act provides for setting up special courts in each district, to address complaints involving violations of
PwDs' rights.

 The Act was supplemented by the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017 (Rules). The Act adheres
to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities' principles.

DISHA
 It is an early intervention and school readiness scheme.

 This programme intends to establish Disha Centers for early intervention for Persons with Disabilities
(PwD) aged 0 to 10 years old, as defined by the National Trust Act, through therapies, training, and family
support.

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NIRAMAYA
 This scheme aims to provide affordable health insurance up to Rs. 1 Lakh to PwDs.

 Medicines, pathology, diagnostic testing, and other aspects of OPD care, a regular medical checkup is
recommended, Dental Preventive Dentistry, Surgery to prevent additional disability aggravation, Non-
Surgical/Hospitalization, Corrective Surgeries for existing disabilities, including congenital disabilities,
Ongoing Therapies to minimise the impact of disability and disability-related problems, Alternative
Medicine, are all covered under this scheme.

National Fellowship for Students with Disabilities (RGMF)

 The programme aims to give people with disabilities (PwDs) more avenues and resources to pursue
higher education. This is an extremely important scheme to empower PwDs, as the percentage of people
having higher education degrees is very low among disabled persons.

 The scheme provides for over 200 Fellowships each year, to be awarded to students with disabilities.

Governments in India have made consistent efforts to empower various vulnerable groups since
independence. Furthermore, the Indian constitution contains essential rights and laws aimed at empowering
these sections. These initiatives, constitutional protections, and various programs have undoubtedly
improved the situation of these disadvantaged groups. However, we cannot state with confidence that these
groups are now free of exploitation and discrimination, and that they have equal rights to other advantaged
groups. All of these programs, constitutional provisions, and other initiatives have had mixed results, and
there is a clear need for more effective execution as well as other means to strengthen these marginalised
groups.

Mains Question for Practice:

Q1. Explain the term marginalisation in the Indian context. Mention some of the marginalised groups in
India and the problems faced by them. (250 words, 15 marks)

Q2. The social empowerment of disabled people is important to ensure the inclusive development of a
nation. Elucidate.(150 words, 10 marks)

Q3. Inclusive development includes the social empowerment of minorities in India. Explain. (150 words, 10
marks)

Q4. Discrimination against disabled people is a major concern in contemporary Indian society. Enumerate
the steps and schemes launched by the Government to address this issue. (150 words, 10 marks)

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