As Opposition insisted that there were 282 deaths of sanitation workers engaged in manual scavenging and 70,000 children forced to beg by criminal network, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot highlighted measures taken by his Ministry to uplift Dalits, tribals, backward classes and differently-abled people and maintained that his Government is working on a comprehensive policy for elderly citizens.
Replying to a debate on the demand for grants of his ministry, which was later passed by the House, Gehlot said ‘divyang’, a term for people with disabilities, across the country will have a standard identity card through which they can avail of benefits meant for them anywhere.
As of now, he said, the certificate issued in one district is not accepted in another district.
The Indian cricket team for the physically challenged, he noted, has been winning the world cup cricket for the disabled for the last three times. Over one-third members of the Indian team have won medal in Paralympic Games, he said, lauding the efforts of divyang.
In the last five years some of key decisions taken by the Government was to accord constitutional status to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) Commission and giving reservation in educational institutions based on economic criteria.
He said that the Government has brought Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill, which is being scrutinised by a standing committee, and it has provisions for day care centre and old age homes, which would be run with the help of NGOs.
While he asserted that allocations under various scholarships had increased by a big margin under the BJP-led NDA Government, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury took a dig at his claims, saying “zero increase” under several provisions and underutilisation or reduction in budgets of various programmes were its “historic achievements”.
The mandate of the Social Justice Ministry is very large, he said, attacking the Government for the deaths of 282 sanitation workers.
Over 60,000-70,000 children every year are forced to beg by criminals, he said.
“You have no numbers. What is your priority,” Chowdhury said while also highlighting drug menace in parts of the country, including Punjab.
Responding to him, Gehlot said de-addiction camps have been set up in 28 districts of the states. Over Rs 137.72 crore was spent during 2009-14, when the Congress-led UPA was in power, while over Rs 242.55 cr was spent by the NDA Government in 2014-19.
The issue of begging, he said, is a State subject, and the Centre issues advisories to states from time to time in this regard.
Gehlot said the ministry has become “active” in the last five years and has taken several historic decisions.
He said a high-level board was also constituted for nomadic tribes. For divyang, 132 camps were set up in 126 districts to give assistance, he said.