The Parliamentary Consultative Meeting of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment held here today under the Chairmanship of Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment. The Ministers of State for Social Justice & Empowerment Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar, Shri Ramdas Athawale and Shri Rattan Lal Kataria were also present. The Agenda of the meeting was “Central Sector Scheme of ‘Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens’ (IPSrC) formerly known as ‘Integrated Programme for Older Persons (IPOP); Central Sector Scheme of Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) Abuse and for Social Defence; Central Sector Scheme of Assistance for Skill Development of OBCs/EBCs/DNTs and Scheme of Grant-in-Aid to voluntary and other organisation working for Scheduled Castes”.Shri Gehlot in his address briefed the members about various ongoing programme and schemes of the DEPwD and the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. He said that since 1992, his Ministry is implementing a Central Sector Scheme of Integrated Programme for senior citizens (IPSrC) previously known as Integrated programme for Older Persons (IPOP) under which grants in aid are given for running and maintenance of senior citizens homes (old age homes)/ continuous care homes, mobile, Medicare units etc. to the implementing agencies such as State Government/Union Territory Administration (through registered societies) Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)/local bodies; Non-Governmental/Voluntary organisations.The Minister said that his Ministry is the nodal Ministry for drug demand reduction. It coordinates and monitors all aspects of drug abuse prevention which include assessment of the extent of the problem, preventive action, treatment and rehabilitation of addicts, dissemination of information and public awareness. The Ministry provides community based services for the identification, treatment and rehabilitation of addicts through voluntary organisations.
The Gehlot informed the members that the Central Sector Scheme of Assistance for Skill Development of OBCs/EBCs/DNTs is being implemented since 1998-99. The purpose of this scheme is to involve the voluntary sector and National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC) to improve educational and socio-economic conditions of the target group i.e. OBCs/EBCs/DNTs with a view to upgrade their skill to enable them to start income generation activities on their own or get gainfully employed in some sector or the other. The scheme was last revised in 2017-18.He further said that his Ministry implements Central Sector Scheme of grant-in-aid to voluntary and other organisation working for scheduled castes under which financial assistance is provided to the NGOs for projects related to residential, non-residential schools and hostels for SC students. The scheme has been revised w.e.f. 1.4.2018. The existing scheme of “Assistance to voluntary organisations working for the welfare of SCs’ broadly covers 3 types of projects namely residential schools, non residential schools, hostels both for primary and secondary students. Under the scheme the process of submission of application is through a web enabled portal.The Members gave their valuable suggestions on the schemes mentioned in the Agenda. The detailed Power point presentations highlighting the salient features of these schemes for Scheduled castes and for Divyangjans were made on the occasion.The Members of Parliament who participated in the Consultative Committee Meeting include: Dr. Umesh G. Jadhav, Shri Narayana Swamy Abbaiah, Shri Santokh Singh Chaudhary (All Lok Sabha) and Prof. Manoj Kumar Jha, Shri L. Hanumanthaiah (All Rajya Sabha). Shri Deepak Khandekar, Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Smt. Shakuntala D. Gamlin, Secretary, DEPwD and senior officers of the Ministry also attended the meeting.