Increased Budget Allocation to Social Justice Ministry to Boost Social Welfare Schemes
Increased Budget Allocation to Social Justice Ministry to Boost Social Welfare Schemes
National Hub for Dalit Entrepreneurs in MSME Sector Proposed
SC Sub Plan gets more than Rs.38,800 Crore
Shri
Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment
has said that, this year being 125th Birth Anniversary of Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar, will also be the Year of Economic Empowerment for SC/ST
entrepreneurs. In this regard, Rs. 500 crore has been allotted in the
budget for Stand Up India scheme, to promote entrepreneurship among
SC/ST and women. This is in line with the Prime Minister’s call for
promoting entrepreneurship among SC/ST to become job providers rather
than job seekers. This Scheme will facilitate at least two such projects
per bank branch, one for each category of entrepreneur. This will
benefit at least 2.5 lakh entrepreneurs. He said this while interacting
with the media persons about provisions made in the budget 2016-17 for
his ministry here today.
He said that, in the budget, Government has proposed to constitute a
National Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Hub, in the MSME sector in
partnership with industry associations for building an entrepreneurship
eco- system among Dalits. This Hub will provide professional support to
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe entrepreneurs to fulfil the
obligations under the Central Government procurement policy 2012, adopt
global best practices and leverage the Stand Up India initiative.
In the budget 2016-17 significant increase has also been made in the
allocation of SC Sub Plan. Rs. 38,832 crore has been allocated under
this head, while in the last budget this allocation was only Rs. 30,000
crore. Shri Gehlot said these measures show that welfare of the
vulnerable sections of the society, including SC / ST is in the top of
the agenda of the Government.
Highlighting initiatives taken for the welfare of the persons with
disabilities, the minister said Government is committed to include these
persons actively in the mainstream activities. Many schemes and
programmes have been initiated recently. Under the time bound action
plan, his ministry has taken initiative to make public spaces accessible
to the persons with disabilities. Rs.193 crore has been exclusively
allotted in the budget 2016-17 for this purpose. Prominent public spaces
including Government buildings will made accessible, by the end of the
current fiscal year.
The Government has also proposed to exempt custom duty for Braille
paper, in the budget 2016- 17 in line with the existing exemptions for a
number of assistive devices, rehabilitation aids and other goods for
the persons with disabilities. Beside this, Service Tax on the
‘Niramaya’ Health Insurance scheme launched by National Trust for the
Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and
Multiple Disability has been exempted.
Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot said that his ministry has given final touches
to the Rights of Transgender Persons Bill to empower them to lead a
dignified life. He said the Government will try to place the Bill in
Parliament during the ongoing budget session. He also informed that
Government has already started setting up 5 National level sports centre
for the persons with disabilities. Land has been acquired for 3 such
centres. Shri Gehlot expressed the hope that very soon all the
scavengers will be rehabilitated. Efforts are also being made for
rehabilitation and skill training of beggars in collaboration with the
State Governments. He said his ministry has also provided 250 women with
commercial motor driving skills and some of them are driving their own
commercial vehicles after funding from National Safai Karamchari Finance
Development Corporation.
Shri Gehlot asserted that these efforts will help in bringing SC,
Transgender and other vulnerable people to the mainstream of the
society. Shri Vijay Sampla, MoS and Shri KrishanPal Gujjar, MoS were
also present during the interaction with the media.
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