Partnering in Social Reform Page

There are various Government Schemes available to help the people. This Officially declared schemes remain on paper due to inadequate channeling and Lack of awareness among the people. Everyone of us, social workers, Civil society, industry, enterprise and business enterprise should partner with the Government and bridge the gap that exists between the supply and demand of the schemes and in the process utilize the widely practiced management skills to help bring about Social Reforms.

Various Government Schemes Available

• Widowed, Abandoned and Divorced Women Pension Scheme
• National Family Assistance Scheme
• Pension for the Aged
• Pension and Assistance Scheme for the Handicapped
• Medical Aid Scheme
• Assistance in Daughter’s Marriage / Conducting Mass Marriage
• Pension for a Girl Child’s Birth
• Accident Insurance for People below the Poverty Line
• Life Insurance for Farmers
• Aid to Build a House
• Senior Citizen Card Scheme
• Home for Orphans
• Funeral Assistance for Backward Classes
• Financial Assistance of Rs. 26ooo/- to Parents on Accidental Death of Student

Sihor Taluka Case Study

Sihor Taluka is a 200 sq km block in the Bhavnagar district of Western Gujarat, with a population of 80,000. A charitable trust ‘Tushar Jani’ found by SCA Group of Companies has employed two social workers. These social workers have studied various social welfare schemes available for example.

• Indira Gandhi Awas Yojna
• Rajiv Gandhi Rojgar Yojna
• Women Upliftment Scheme
• Women Entrepreneur Scheme
• Housing Schemes
• Educational Schemes

The Social workers maintain records and follow up with the Government regarding the schemes. They visit the villages in the Taluka to create awareness for the schemes. They assist people with the transactional activities such as filling the forms, obtaining certificates, submission of the documents to the Government authority etc. They then follow up with the Government regarding the applications submitted. They ensure that the people receive the benefits they are entitled for

In 2001 there were:

• 119 pensions obtained for widows
• 17 pensions obtained for the abandoned women
• 23 pensions obtained for divorced women
• 61 pensions obtained for the aged

Till end- August 2003, there were:

• 652 pensions obtained for widows
• 23 pensions obtained for the sick
• 50 pensions obtained for the handicapped
• 223 pensions obtained for the aged
• 13 pensions obtained for girl child’s birth
• 294 cases under National Family Assistance Scheme
• 29 cases of assistance for girls marriage
• 14 cases of organizing Mass Marriage
• 14 cases of Housing Scheme Assistance

The total benefits received amounted to Rs. 1,00,00,000/=

Tushar Jani and his team have done a grate work

Tushar Jani has appointed social worker’s to do this service. Each social worker’s monthly cost is Rs. 5,000/- including their salary. The social workers are retired people from government who know the schemes and channel. They have been given minimal infrastructure support of fax, email and transportation. Their salary increments are directly related to the number of benefits they are able to obtain. The social workers generate reports on fortnightly basis for you to maintain control on your investment. To ensure full return on the investment the workers are also given targets for each individual scheme.

Measures for further improvement

Measures being adopted for further improvement:

• Open Head Office in Sihor Village
• Open a Branch Office in all Talukas
• Organize monthly visits to all branches
• Inculcate values of social service in other people
• Tap Donors and Charitable Institutions for financial aid
• Create awareness by way of publicity/ advertising about various Government – assisted Schemes
• Provide assistance to needy people
• Continuous support to Supply Chain of Social Reforms

How we can Help

• There are 9,000 talukas (Blocks) in India
• There are 2,25,000 Panchayats within India
• There are 6,25,000 villages within India
• There are 9,000 FICCI/CII/ASSOCHAM members nationally
• There are nearly 18,000 Clubs / Social Working society nationally
• If each one adopt on an average 0.35 blocks, THIS WILL:
• Serve as a bridge between Govt. and People for Social Reforms
• Help the Government help the needy at a minimal cost
• Improve standard of Living of people below the poverty line
• Employ 36,000 or more social workers

It is a WIN-WIN-WIN Relationship

Society for Technical Innovation in Service (TIS) is only a Catalyst to spread this message Thanks to i Watch, Bombay, for the information