Gujarat Government has taken various steps for upliftment of weaker and vulnerable sections and has been in forefront for effective implementation of equity, social justice and empowerment of the targeted groups. As per 2001 census, literacy rate among scheduled castes in Gujarat is 70.50%, which is higher than average general literacy rate of 69.14% for Gujarat State and is substantially higher than the all India average of 54.69%. The State Government is totally committed to reach out to the weaker and underprivileged sections of society for their welfare and all round development.

While speaking at the conference of the State Ministers’ of Social Justice which was inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Gujarat Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Fakirbhai Vaghela said that Gujarat Government is committed and making substantive efforts to ensure Protection of Civil Rights and Prevention of Atrocities and has setup a four tier mechanism to maintain vigil and monitor incidents and has set up 25 special courts for fast and quick disposal of court cases.

Highlighting the Government of Gujarat’s approach for social cohesion, Gujarat Minister, Shri. Fakirbhai Vaghela, apprised that, to achieve social cohesion, assistance of Rs.50,000 is granted to the couple who opt for inter-caste marriage. Assistance worth Rs.9.09 crore had been granted to 1818 such couples during the last five years under the scheme called Dr. Savita Ambedkar Inter-Marriage Assistance Scheme. Also, Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar Award and Mahatma Gandhi award, both worth Rs.1 lakh are conferred to persons and organizations working for development of Scheduled Castes, respectively.

Referring to the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP), he urged the Planning Commission to revise the existing norms in SCSP guidelines on proposed line for favorable consideration by the Task Force.

On the welfare of the Safai Kamdars, he noted that the state government had always been very sensitive and proactive to the concerns relating to the educational, social upliftment and economic rehabilitation of scavengers and the safai karmacharis, and is the only state in the country to set up a separate and dedicated State Public Undertaking i.e Gujarat Safai Kamdar Vikas Nigam (GSKVN) since October, 2001. GKSVN apart from implementing the National scheme also implements various state government schemes with a sizable state funding of Rs.25 crores every year. At this stage, he pointed out that despite several efforts of the Gujarat Government; a disputed issue of Income Tax exemption of the GSKVN remains unresolved till date. He sought the intervention of the GoI to resolve this long pending issue in the interest of the weaker sections of the society.

He also highlighted a number of schemes for educational, economic and social upliftment of SCs including Dr.Ambedkar Foreign Higher Study Loan, Loan for Commercial Pilot Training and Sant Shri Ravidas High Skill Development Training. The other initiative being the introduction of State Awards which includes Sant Shri Kabir Dalit Sahitya Award, ‘Dasi Jivan’ Best Creative Book on Dalit Literature, Mahatma Phule Best Dalit Journalist Award and Savitribai Phule Dalit Mahila Kala Sahitya Award.

On the Committed Liability Policy of Centrally Sponsored Schemes of scholarship scheme for SC/OBCs, he expressed concern that the States were getting lesser funds than
originally envisaged in the Scheme, thereby imposing additional burden on the states.

The minister highlighted that the Social Justice and Empowerment Department had designed and developed website which is disabled-friendly complying with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). He also said that he state Government had made available 2.15 acres of land to GoI to set up a Composite Regional Centre (CRC) at Ahmedabad.

He further added that though the GoI and the states are implementing a number of schemes for the disabled and social defence sector, the expected and desirable outcomes of these schemes need to be evaluated, and a comprehensive and integrated approach needs to be evolved.

Shri P.K.Taneja, Principal Secretary, Social Justice & Empowerment also attended the conference.