Date: 12 April 2023 ; Author: Jai Prakash
Social welfare programs are initiatives that aim to improve the well-being of children, especially those who are vulnerable, marginalized, or disadvantaged. India has a large population of children, with about 460 million under the age of 18. Many of these children face challenges such as poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy, child labor, abuse, neglect, and exploitation. To address these issues, the government of India, along with various civil society organizations, has implemented several social welfare programs for children. Some of these programs are:
- Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS): This is one of the largest and oldest social welfare programs for children in India, launched in 1975. It provides a package of services, including supplementary nutrition, health check-ups, immunization, preschool education, and referral services, to children under six years of age, pregnant and lactating women, and adolescent girls. The program aims to reduce child mortality, morbidity, malnutrition, and school dropout rates, and to enhance the cognitive and social development of children.
- Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY): This is a maternity benefit program that provides cash incentives to pregnant and lactating women for the first live birth. The program aims to improve the health and nutrition status of women and children, and to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates. The program provides a total amount of Rs. 5,000 in three installments, subject to certain conditions, such as registration of pregnancy, institutional delivery, and vaccination of the child.
- Balika Samriddhi Yojana (BSY): This is a girl child empowerment program that provides financial assistance to the families of girl children, from birth till they complete 18 years of age4. The program aims to improve the enrollment and retention of girl children in schools, and to delay their marriage till they attain legal age. The program provides a post-birth grant of Rs. 500, annual scholarships for education, and a maturity benefit of Rs. 25,000 if the girl remains unmarried till 18 years of age.
- Kishori Shakti Yojana (KSY): This is an adolescent girl empowerment program that provides life skills education, vocational training, health and nutrition education, and counseling services to girls aged 11 to 18 years. The program aims to improve the self-esteem, confidence, and decision-making abilities of adolescent girls, and to enable them to cope with the challenges of adolescence. The program also promotes awareness and access to reproductive and sexual health services, and prevention of child marriage and teenage pregnancy.
- National Child Labour Project (NCLP): This is a child labor elimination program that provides non-formal education, vocational training, health care, and stipend to children aged 9 to 14 years who are rescued from hazardous occupations and processes. The program aims to withdraw and rehabilitate child laborers, and to mainstream them into formal education system. The program also provides awareness and sensitization campaigns, and legal action against employers of child labor.
- Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS): This is a child protection program that provides a range of services, such as emergency outreach, care and protection, counseling, legal aid, adoption, foster care, and sponsorship, to children in need of care and protection, and children in conflict with law. The program aims to prevent and respond to child abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence, and to create a child-friendly and protective environment. The program also supports the implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP): This is a girl child welfare program that aims to address the declining child sex ratio, and to promote the education, health, and empowerment of girl children. The program involves multi-sectoral interventions, such as awareness and advocacy campaigns, community mobilization, capacity building, and enforcement of laws, to challenge the social norms and practices that discriminate against girl children. The program also provides incentives and awards to the best performing districts, states, and individuals for their efforts in improving the child sex ratio and the status of girl children.
- Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS): This is a school feeding program that provides cooked meals to children studying in classes I to VIII in government and government-aided schools, and in special training centers. The program aims to improve the enrollment, attendance, and retention of children in schools, and to enhance their health and nutrition status. The program also provides micronutrient supplements, such as iron and folic acid tablets, and deworming tablets, to the children.
- Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK): This is a child health screening and early intervention program that provides comprehensive health care services to children from birth to 18 years of age. The program aims to detect and treat the common health problems, such as defects at birth, diseases, deficiencies, and disabilities, that affect the physical and mental development of children. The program also provides referral and follow-up services, and free medicines and surgical interventions, to the children.
- Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA): This is a flagship program for universalization of elementary education in India. The program aims to provide free and compulsory education to all children aged 6 to 14 years, and to ensure their quality and equity in learning outcomes. The program covers various aspects of elementary education, such as access, enrollment, retention, completion, infrastructure, teacher training, curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, and monitoring. The program also focuses on the education of disadvantaged groups, such as girls, SCs, STs, minorities, and children with special needs.
Sources:
https://www.unicef.org/india/what-we-do/social-policy-inclusion
https://www.india.gov.in/child-protection-welfare-schemes-ministry-women-child-development
