High Commission of India, London
About India: Social Objectives & Welfare - Education, Environment, Minorities, Health & Family Welfare

In December 1993, India hosted the Education for All summit, which was attended by nine high population countries: Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria and Pakistan. Together these countries account for more than half the world's population. The summit adopted the Delhi Declaration and Framework for Action which called for education for all children.

The then Prime Minister, Mr. P.V. Narasimha Rao, announced at the summit that India would redeem the pledge to spend 6% of the GNP on education before the end of the century.

But before the Delhi Declaration, the National Policy on Education (1986) and the Programme of Action (1992) had resolved to ensure free and compulsory education to all children upto the age of 14 years before the beginning of next century. In 1988, the National Literacy Mission was launched by the late Mr. Raj iv Gandhi, which saw Kerala become the first state to achieve 100% literacy.

The National Policy on Education was updated in 1992 to include several key strategies which have two aims: universal access to education by opening new schools in unserved habitations and improved school environment.

A two-pronged approach for universalisation of elementary education and universal adult literacy has been adopted to achieve the goal of total literacy. A major initiative under it is the launching of District Primary Education Programme in 1993-94. The focus of the literacy campaign is concentrated in the northern States which have the bulk of illiterate population. A priority area under the national policy on education is women's education.

Since education has been recognized as the centrepiece of human resource development, it is realized at the highest levels that education will play a key role in balanced socio-economic development.

The Total Literacy Campaign, which is the major component of the programme for universal adult literacy, is operational in 338 districts, either partially or fully, spread over the States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

About five million volunteers are engaged in teaching the alphabets to about 50 million people in the 9-45 age group. It is estimated that 15 million of them have become functionally literate. Post-Literacy and continuing Education programmes are also being launched. The objective is to make 100 million people literate. Special attention is being paid to the four low literacy and high-population States of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, which account for 48% of the illetrate population of the country.

Democracy thrives in India today largely because it has always existed in some form at the macro level even during the long feudal era. The village council, Panchayat, consisting of village elders played a key role in this long survival of grassroot democracy. The Panchayat Raj (rule) now enjoys constitutional status with built-in mechanism for regular elections and minimum representation of women and members of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. There are over three million elected local representatives, making this the widest democratic base in the world. Of these three million, 1/3 are by law, women. The guidance from chosen representatives ensures effective participation in both the preparation and execution of development schemes. The Panchayat Raj helps in purposeful understanding of the masses and articulation of their responses. The Panchayat Raj is perhaps the best means of spreading democracy at the grassroot. Mahatma Gandhi called the Panchayats "village republics'; these village republics contribute to making India a shining example of democracy in the world.

The removal of poverty has been the major focus of the Government's efforts. Under the Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP), efforts have been made to endow the poor with assets to promote rural self-employment. During the Seventh Plan period 18.2 million families were assisted under this step and other wage employment programmes generated 3.5 million mandays of employment. There are programmes for training of rural youth as well as for the promotion of socio-economic activity among rural women.

The National Rural Employment Programme (NREP) aims at creating additional wage employment opportunities in rural areas simultaneously with the creation of community assets. The Jawahar Rozgar Yojana, seeks to ensure 180 mandays employment to at least one member from families below the poverty line.

The need to harmonise development with environment is only too clear in today's world. The Government encourages use of pollution abatement techniques, specially in the critically polluted areas. Environmental considerations weigh heavily in clearing certain projects. For this purpose, laws have been framed, fiscal incentives given, agreements signed, educational programmes introduced and information disseminated through publicity. Environmental management is accepted as a major guiding factor for national development. The Ministry of Environment and Forests is responsible for planning, promoting and coordinating the environmental forestry programmes. There are about 30 enactments relating to environment protection.

The strategy for restoring the damage to environment includes not only use of science and new technology, but also active involvement of the people. People's involvement is an important part of the Ganga Action Plan that aims at cleaning the most sacred river of the country through diversion and treatment of pollutants.

At the Rio conference on Environment and Development in 1992, India played a major role in emphasising the awareness about the need to tackle environmental problems while executing development programmes. New global strategies were evolved and economic issues addressed to bring about a fair and equitable international order.

Throughout Indian history, from the time of Sita, consort of Lord Rama, there have been women who occupied a special place in society. Laxmibai, Razia Sultan and Meerabai are names that now belong to history. From contemporary times, women who have left their imprint include Mrs. Vijayalaxmi Pandit, the first women president of the United Nations, Mrs. Indira Gandhi and Mother Teresa, who was born in Albania but won the Nobel Prize as an Indian missionary who spread the message of love and peace among the neglected. In the field of sports, many Indian women have won laurels in international events.

But there is no denying the fact that the lot of women in general needs to be improved. For this reason, women are becoming the centre-stage of planning so that they come to occupy their rightful place in the development process. Many innovative programmes have been launched for generating employment, improving income and creating awareness among women. The ultimate goal is to make women economically independent and self- reliant.

Some of these scheme which go back to the 1 960s and 1970s lay emphasis on upgrading training and skills of women and opening more job opportunities for them. In 1992, the National Commission for Women was set up to investigate and review matters relating to safeguards for women and also to act as an agency for redressal of their grievances. Two important schemes launched in 1993 were Mahila Rashtriya Kosh, the women's national fund, to meet the credit needs of women, and Mahila Samridhi Yojna to inculcate the habit of thrift among rural women. The task of creating a sense of awareness, particularly among the rural women, to enable them to become active participants in the process of social transformation and regeneration has been entrusted to the Indira Mahila Yojna.

India has a strong women 's movement now and the country is well represented in all international fora for women. At the fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, India was well represented and the government had prepared itself for the event by getting reports from 14 core groups covering all important activities of women's development.

In the world of sports and glamour also Indian Women have begun to leave a mark. K Malleswari and Kunjarani Devi are the two top-most weightlifters in the World. The year 1994-95 saw two Indians, Susmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai, bag the Miss Universe and Miss World titles, a unique double for any country. The 1997 Miss World crown was bagged by another Indian, Diana Heyden.

As a welfare State, India is committed to the welfare and development of its people, particularly the vulnerable sections like the scheduled castes (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs), backward classes, minorities and the handicapped. There are specific articles in the Constitution which outline this commitment. The strategy adopted for this aims at minimising inequalities in income, status and opportunities. This section of the society constitutes nearly 85% of the population. The task is gigantic for a country with limited resources.

Almost a quarter of India's population consists of the SCs and STs, who had remained neglected for centuries. The approach for their development has been enunciated by the Constitution. The government has taken several steps for their welfare. The representation of the SCs and STs in all Parliament and State Assemblies is assured.

Under the Special Assistance scheme, nearly 300,000 families were expected to benefit during 1994-95. There is a Special Component Plan for the SCs. The Central gevernment participates in the share capital investment of the Scheduled Caste Development Corporation, set up in States. The National SC and ST Finance and Development Corporation is a 100% government- owned no profit no loss corporation for developing entrepreneurial and other skills of this section.

To deal with the problem of scavangers, called Safai Karmacharis, a National Commission for Safai Karmacharis has been set up. There is a National Scheme of Liberation and Rehabilitation of Scavengers. Scholarships are offered to SC/ST students who can also draw from the Book Banks. They also receive coaching for civil services examinations and professional institutions through special centres across the country.

The birth centenary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, one of the architects of the Indian Constitution who was born into a scheduled caste family, was celebrated in 1990 and extended through 1992. A lot has been done to honour his memory since then. An international seminar was held in London, from November 24 to 26, 1994. His collected works have been released in Hindi, Tamil and Punjabi.

The Tribal Sub Plan strategy and Special Central Assistance programmes aim at improving the lot of the STs. Under the 20-point programme, over one million ST families were assisted during 1994. A Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) has been set up with its turnover in 1994 crossing Rs. 173 crore. For the Other Backward Classes, the government has announced a 27% reservation in civil services and posts. A National Backward Class Finance and Development Corporation has also been set up.

The minorities have received a new deal with the establishment of the Minorities Finance and Development Corporation in September 1994. It will primarily benefit the backward sections amongst the minorities. The Central Wakf Council takes up the job of developing Wakf properties. A 15-point programme for the welfare of the minorities is being implemented. It also needs to be stressed that there is no bar against practising any religion in India.

A National Policy on Children was adopted in 1974. It states that the nurture and solicitude of the children is the responsibility of the States. In line with the UN Declaration on the Right of the Child, India enacted the Juvenile Justice Act 1986. India became the first country to adopt that legislation.

There are over 450 day care centres, old-age homes and mobile medicare units. Over 60 units also function for the welfare of the street children.

A Central Adoption Resource Agency has been set up to act as the clearing house of information on children available for adoption. The government recognises 56 Indian agencies for giving children to foreigners for adoption and another 280 foreign agencies have been enlisted for sponsoring applications of foreigners who seek guardianship of Indian children.

There are 359 counselling centres for drug abuse prevention. They also propagate awareness. The government finances 250 NGOs which are engaged in drug abuse prevention activities. A tripartite agreement between the government, ILO and UNDCP has been signed to help full rehabilitation and recovery of drug addicts.

India has 2.4% of the world's land, but supports 16% of the global population. According to the latest (1991) census report, India has a population of 846.30 million. Since the last census (1981), the country's population has gone up by 150 million. The task of removing poverty is enormous indeed.

But the latest census figures have also brought some hope and indicated that efforts being made in the field of family welfare have not gone entirely waste. For the first time, the growth rate of population declined to 2.14% from 2.22% (in 1981). The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), which was 140 per 1000 live births in 1981, came down to 80. The decline in death rate was also sharp; from 15 per 1000 it climbed down to 9.6. The Eighth Plan goal is to achieve a birth rate of 7 per 1000, IMR of 70 and death rate of 9 per 1000. The life expectancy is expected to reach 64 from 58 years at present.

Way back in 1951, the National Family Welfare Programme was launched to promote responsible and planned parenthood through voluntary family planning methods. Couples have the choice of adopting temporary (condom) or preventing (sterilisation) measures. Facilities for medical termination of pregnancies in certain circumstances are also available.

In view of the close relationship between high birth rate and high infant mortality, various child and mother health care programmes are being implemented. In 1992, a Child Survival and Safe Motherhood Programme was launched to provide for universal immunisation and safe motherhood initiatives. Mortality and morbidity among women is countered through the Special Safety Net Project. The NGOs are being given increasing support in an effort to involve the community for promoting spacing methods to stabilise population. Innovative programmes which use local dialect and folklore have been prepared under the Information, Entertainment and Communication scheme. The target of these programmes is the low performing States and districts.

AIDS has reached India and the Government is aware of the problem. A National Programme for the Prevention and Control of AIDS has been launched. In 35 cities 67 AIDS surveillance centres have been opened.

In the absence of a cure, the emergence of AIDS has aggravated the problem in India. The threat of HJV transmission is being tackled through safe blood transfusion services, control of sexually transmitted diseases and information, education and counselling.

Medical research and education have received significant attention in the years following independence. While there were only 28 medical colleges in 1950, there are at present 106 medical colleges, 29 dental colleges and 11 other institutions providing medical education. Nearly 14,000 students graduate every year from medical colleges. Of late the Government has felt that it should not open any new medical colleges. There are nearly 30 medical colleges which are not recognised by the Medical Council of India. Over 8,200 nurses qualify for service annually from 367 nursing institutions. Medical institutions in India also train a large number of students from other developing countries. There are over 30 nursing colleges for higher-level education.

The Government is paying increasing attention to integrated health, maternity and child care in rural areas. An increasing number of community health workers and doctors are being sent to rural health centres. Primary health care is being provided to the rural population through a network of over 150,000 primary health centres and sub-centres by 586,000 trained midwives and 410,000 health guides.

Various policies and initiatives of the Government have put the country on the threshold of a major qualitative and quantitative change in the housing and urban development sector. The target is to ensure a minimum level of shelter and basic amenities by the year 2001 AD.

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