Universal social security measures by the State are required to build an inclusive democratic society. It ensures a sense of belonging among its citizens who feel that the society takes care of its people of all ages, classes and groups. The unwell, weak, poor, children, elderly and unemployed are always in need of special care and protection because of their vulnerability. Our social culture and State policy should take care of all its vulnerable sections by ensuring material comfort and emotional support to live a dignified life without depending on others’ mercy. But in spite of constitutional mandate, our State social security policy has not been universalised to ensure social security for all people irrespective of their nature of employment.
The employees of organised sector in Government, private and semi Government jobs have a better retirement life while a majority of people who are in unorganised and informal sector have a very miserable life in their old age .They do not have a privilege of pension with dearness allowances. The provision of old age pension for them is very minimal and irregular which cannot provide a dignified and decent living. They have to depend on private source or on other earning family members for survival. In the absence of such family support system many of them are pushed to begging and destitute condition and these cases are very often reported in media. Though depending on sons and daughters has been a tradition in our society but in recent time due to economic and demographic change, composition of family and migration from rural to urban areas in search of employment have contributed to the increasing burden of managing family with elderly people which have been a challenge to the poor and it has led to a number of complex social issues. The poor migrant workers are leaving their old and ailing parents at home without any humanitarian assistance shown by the society.
There has been an increase in old age homes, beggars, orphanages and shelter homes for the deserted and destitute in the State. It is reported that the condition of elderly people in rural area has become worst in the absence of a proper social security mechanism. The social security policy is not just a State sponsored charity but it is also closely linked to growth and has a direct impact on employment, production, work culture and quality of life of the people. It is the most integral part of the overall development of a society.
The developed countries of the world with better social and human development standards such as Sweden, Denmark, New Zealand, The Nederland and Australia have a better social security system while the poor and developing countries such as India are still struggling to establish a developed universal social security system. In recent time of post globalisation it has been widely debated over State investment and public finance spending on social security and its impact on economy and role of emerging market forces but worldwide it is being understood that social security has a close link with the economic growth and the State has a major role in ensuring social security for all its citizens specially for the vulnerable sections by adopting a universal social security policy beneficial to all.
The International Social Security Association, Geneva’s report in 2012 on BRICS counties revealed that India has a very weak social security policy in comparison to Brazil, China, Russia and South Africa which have adopted international standards covering important areas such medical, sickness, maternity, old age, family, invalidity, unemployment, employment injury and death. The Allianz Global investor’s Pension Sustainability Index 2014 says India has one of the world’s weakest pension systems.
Brazil has a major social security programme. The Russian federation and China with a socialistic principle have universal social security, State pension system and universal compulsory nature of social insurance. South Africa has more inclusive social security policy that includes the excluded and marginalized groups. The Russian federation has a good mother and childcare policy and its funeral grant provision has been continuing for a long time. It is argued that a good pension system, healthcare and social assistance are intended to reduce inequality and help in building a democratic society that ensures equality and stimulate economic growth. Therefore social security measures should be integrated to the larger process of building democracy for an egalitarian society.
The concept of equality and universality has been rooted in the Constitution of India. It has been told in the Directive Principles of State Policy about the social security measures to be taken by the State but still most of the social security laws are limited to the organized sector workers and privileged few. They have not been extended to informal sector workers while 90 per cent of the workers in India are in the informal sector and mostly in rural areas. The Unorganized Sector Social Security Act, 2008 has remained unimplemented to a large extent. A vast majority of informal workers are in agriculture sector. The income of one in five informal workers is below poverty line. The workers in agriculture sector are seasonally employed. The most popular social security measures by Government of India for the poor such as Indira Gandhi National Old age Pension Scheme, Rastriya Swsta Bima Yojana, Janashree Bima Yojana, Ama Admi Bima Yojana, Mid Day Meal, Targeted Public Distribution system, Annapurna, Antodaya and conditional cash transfer etc have largely benefited the poor but these are not available under one umbrella in the absence of an integrated and coherent social security policy. The quantum of subsidy is very minimal and still it has not reached to the deserving people in rural areas.
The Centre has proposed Atala Pension Yojana and Universal Social Security scheme for ailing and elderly people. The poor and socially marginalized groups in rural and remote areas have not been yet fully covered under available social security schemes because the committed involvement of the State and local bodies is most important in implementing the social security measures. The State has a major role in building social security infrastructure and developing social security administrative mechanism. There are States such as Kerla which has done exemplary work in terms of benefiting the poor and vulnerable sections with State sponsored social security measures. The States like Tamil Nadu ,Uttarakhand and Kerla have introduced pension for agricultural labourers and farmers and Uttar Pradesh has programme such as Samajwadi pension scheme for milk producing farmers , SC ,ST and minority .The Tamil Nadu agriculture labourers -farmers social security and welfare scheme has provisions of pension ,education ,marriage and maternity benefits which cover the whole family .
With a large presence of informal workers and marginalized social groups, Odisha has a very poor social security measure in comparison to other States in India. Many of the social security schemes implemented in the State are mostly supported by the Centre and baring a few sectoral initiatives such as Madhubabu Pension Yojana and Construction Workers Welfare Scheme, the State has not developed any universal schemes out of own fund and also not fully utilized the Central schemes in the State. The Government of Odisha should go for integrated universal social security schemes because of large presence of poor and marginalised groups who are mostly engaged in informal sector such as agriculture, forestry, fishing, construction work and not being covered under formal social security laws.
The State initiative for construction workers through building and other construction workers welfare fund is most welcome step though not enough. Similar initiative is highly required for forest and agricultural workers, farmers and fisher folk and other rural and urban poor. The social security should include the provision of universal health, education and public distribution system and employment opportunity for all with protection of poor from market forces.
(The writer is a researcher and rights activist, who can be mailed at manasbbsr15@gmail.com)