Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Thaawar Chand Gehlot, shares schemes and plans which will benefit senior citizens and also legally protect the rights of transgenders
How do you ensure better legal protection for the rights of the transgender populationIJ
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has been designated as the Nodal Ministry for Transgenders with effect from July 2012. An expert committee was constituted to make an in-depth study of the problems being faced by the transgender community. The committee has submitted its report on 27th January 2014, suggesting various measures to ameliorate the condition of the transgender persons. The concerned Central Ministries and the State UT Governments are being consulted for theft suggestions/views on the recommendations made by the expert committee and also confirm what action can be taken at theft end. On 15th April, 2014, the Supreme Court had, in a Writ Petition number 400/2012 filed by National legal Services Authority (NlSA), delivered its judgment on the issues of Transgender Persons directing the Central and State Governments to take various steps for the welfare of the transgender community and also to examine the recommendations of the expert committee based on the legal declaration made in the above said judgment. The expert committee has recommended formulating an Umbrella Scheme for empowerment of the transgender community. Accordingly, the Ministry is considering an Umbrella Scheme for educational, economic and social empowerment of transgender community.
What steps is the Ministry taking to ensure manual scavenging-free India by 2019IJ
Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013) intends to, inter alia, achieve its objectives to:
· Eliminate the insanitary latrines.
· Prohibit employment as manual scavengers and hazardous manual cleaning of sewer and septic tanks.
· Survey of manual scavengers and theft rehabilitation, within a time bound manner, and casts various responsibilities on the State/UTs.
States/UTs are responsible for survey and identification of manual scavengers for theft rehabilitation. However, due to slow progress of survey, identification of manual scavengers has not been completed. Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has been regularly monitoring the progress of survey through regular interaction with State Governments/UT Administration.
Central Monitoring Committee (CMC), under my Chairmanship has held two meetings on and reviewed the progress of implementation of MS Act, 2013.
A conference was also held with the State Ministries/senior officers of the State Government/UT Administration in charge of the departments of panchayti raj, urban development and scheduled castes welfare to review the progress of implementation of MS Act, 2013. The States/UTs were urged to complete the survey of insanitary latrines and manual scavengers in rural and urban areas on the basis of the census 2011 data relating to insanitary latrines.
A number of States/UTs informed that in the absence of household-wise details of insanitary latrines proper survey for identification of manual scavengers could not be carried out. The office of RGI was requested to provide household-wise details of insanitary latrines to facilitate identification of insanitary latrines and manual scavengers by the local authorities in States/UTs. RGI has informed that under the confidentiality clause of the Census Act, 1948 household data cannot be released/provided. However, RGI has provided village level data which has been shared with the States/fits for accelerating the pace of identification of insanitary latrines and manual scavengers.
The Ministry of Rural Development has released the data of Socio-Economic Caste Census-20l 1 (SECC-201 1) three months ago. As per this data there are 1,80,653 manual scavengers in rural areas. This data is based on the self declaration made by the households. As per the MS Act, 2013 only the manual scavengers identified and listed as per the provisions of the Act are eligible for the rehabilitation benefits specified in the Act. Secretary, (SJE) held a meeting with seven states which as per SECC data have maximum number of manual scavengers and discussed the modalities for verification of SECC data.
Six thousand six hundred and seventy three identified and eligible manual scavengers have been provided onetime cash assistance of `40,000 (total amount of `2,693.2 lacs) under the Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS). More than 75 per cent of the identified manual scavengers are women In addition, proposals received from West Bengal, Punjab and Uttarakhand for the comprehensive rehabilitation of the identified manual scavengers, which include skill development training with stipend and loans with subsidy for income generating activities have been sanctioned.
How does the Ministry encourage rehabilitation of drug victimsIJ
The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is the nodal ministry for drug demand reduction. It recognises drug abuse as a psycho-socio-medical problem, which can be best handled by adoption of a family/community based approach by active involvement of NGOs/ community based organisations (CBOs). For the purpose of drug demand reduction, the ministry is implementing the scheme of Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (drug) Abuse since 1985-86 through Non-Governmental Organisations.
The scheme of Assistance for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (drugs) Abuse is being implemented for identification, counseling, treatment and rehabilitation of addicts through voluntary and other eligible organisations. Under this scheme, financial assistance is provided to the voluntary organisations and other eligible agencies for selling up/running Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts (IRCAs),
How do you ensure safety to senior citizensIJ Is there any scheme that can encourage corporate to build old-age homesIJ
As per the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India, Police and Public Order are state subjects and, as such the primary responsibility of prevention detection, registration, investigation and prosecution of crime including crime against senior Citizens lies with the State/UT Administrations. However, the Union Government attaches highest priority to the matters of security of its citizens and through various schemes and advisories augments the efforts of States/UTs. The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued two detailed advisories to all State Governments advising them to take immediate measures to ensure safety and security and for elimination of all forms of neglect, abuse and violence against old persons through initiatives such as identification of senior citizens, sensitisation of police personnel regarding safety, security of older persons, regular visit of the beat staff; setting up of toll free senior citizen helpline; setting up of senior citizen security cell; verification of domestic helps, drivers et al.
The Government of India announced the National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP) 1999. The Policy envisages State support to ensure financial and food security, healthcare, shelter and other needs of older persons, equitable share in development, protection against abuse and exploitation, and availability of service to improve the quality of their lives.
Subsequently, the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act were passed in 2007 to ensure need based maintenance for parents and senior citizens and their welfare.
photo Pankaj Kumar