Senior IAS Officers, Secretaries from Southern States, Union Territories deliberate on better empowerment

Mysuru: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, is hosting a two-day regional workshop on the acts, rules and implementation of its related schemes at Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel in city. The conference was inaugurated this morning by Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment A. Narayanaswamy.

The Ministry has initiated to conduct three regional workshops to create awareness about the schemes, acts/rules implemented by the Department among the State Governments and to resolve the issues with mutual discussion and for better implementation of the schemes at the grassroot level.

The Department has successfully conducted a regional workshop for 16 North and Eastern regions and Union Territories on Nov. 25 and Nov. 26, 2022 at Agartala in Tripura. The workshop being held in Mysuru is the second regional workshop where nine States and Union Territories are involved in the deliberations.

Delegates, mostly senior IAS Officers, Secretaries and Commissioners from Karnataka, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, Odisha, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands are discussing various schemes implemented by the Centre and State Governments. The Mysuru District is being represented by DC Dr. K.V. Rajendra.

The event began with registration and welcome address by Surendra Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment. Later, Karnataka Minister for Social Welfare and Backward Classes Kota Srinivas Poojari listed out various schemes of the State Government for the welfare of backward classes.

Minister for Social Welfare, Government of Andhra Pradesh,  Merugu Nagarjuna presented his Government schemes aimed at the SC/ST welfare and his counterpart Minister from Puducherry C. Djeacoumar listing out various schemes launched by his Government for the welfare of backward classes.

They are discussing the ways and means to appropriately implement different flagship schemes of the Central Government for the welfare of SC, ST and OBC communities. The implementation of Maintenance and Welfare of Parent and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 in all districts and sub-divisions are being discussed.

Implementation of best practices

In his address, Narayanaswamy said that the main motto of the workshop is to outline the best practices of Social Welfare Department of States and utilisation of Central Government funds of different schemes for the economic assistance to self-empower and to provide good education facilities to the downtrodden people in the country.

“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, many skill development programmes have been introduced for the economic and social development. Funds that have been released must be used completely and effectively. Many schemes have been started such as Start-Up India, Stand-Up Scheme, Skill India and SVANidhi for the empowerment of women and their upliftment. These schemes create self-employment opportunities to youths by providing them loans,”  the Union Minister added.

State’s Welfare schemes

Kota Srinivas Poojari highlighted the State Government’s measures on implementation of many social justice and empowerment schemes. “We are providing shelters to the needy and homeless senior citizens, and old-age home facilities are also being run in the State for their assistance,” he said.

He also highlighted the Government’s efforts on skill development and welfare schemes for farmers of the State and said that adequate financial assistance is being provided to the people of the State including farmers.

The State Government has been reaching out to farmers, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, minorities, women and backward classes. Each one of these sections of society were direct beneficiaries of various Government schemes, he said. He directed officials to fully utilise grants earmarked for the development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes categories and ensure 100 percent achievement.

“With the utilisation of grants, people belonging to these categories should be provided basic amenities as well as personal facilities. Poojari noted that a scheme for providing free power supply to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes people is already under implementation.