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Punjab, also spelled Panjab, is a state in northwest India. The Indian state borders the Pakistani province of Punjab to the west, Jammu and Kashmir to the north, Himachal Pradesh to the northeast, Haryana to the south and southeast, Chandigarh to the southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest. According to Census 2001, total population of Punjab is 24,358,999, out of these 424523 persons are living with disability. Department of Social Security and Women and Child Development is the concerned authority for the welfare of Person with Disability in Punjab.

Social Welfare Department

Introduction

Objectives

Administrative Structure

Thrust Areas

Major Achievements

Major Schemes/Projects

Contact Information

Introduction

The Department of Social Welfare was set up by the state Government in the year 1955 with the objective of providing social services to the weaker sections, socially mal-adjusted and under privileged sections of the society and rehabilitation of the Pakistani Refugees. With the passage of time the objective of the Department has changed manifold and it has become a broad spectrum. In fact the mission of the Department has been changed from "Welfare" to "Social Therapy and Development". Now its scope has been widened to provide physical, emotional, psychological, economic, employment and income generation, gender sensitization, awareness generation, child survival and child Development support to the aged and informs, Destitute, delinquent, physically handicapped, juveniles, widows and destitute women, nursing and lactating mothers and children below the age of six years. This way the Department of social Therapy covers 70% population of the State.

Objectives

The objective of the Department of Social Security and Women and child Development is to cater to the developmental needs of over 70% population of the state by ensuring that the benefits of development from different sectors do not bypass children, women, aged and persons with disabilities. The flow of benefits under Pension/Financial aid schemes for the old Age, widow and Destitute women, Dependent Children, Disabled Persons, the flow of benefits to women in the three core sectors of education, health and employment and package of child survival and child Development support under the I.C.D.S. Program shall be kept under close vigil and surveillance as these contribute a great deal towards main-streaming and National Development.

In order to achieve this objective the department recognizes that it responses to the problems of aged and weak. As such, the focus of the department is on an integrated approach for providing various services must not regard them as mere passive developmental process. Such participation requires the beneficiaries particularly the women and the disabled to be mobilized into groups at the grass root level through which they can orchestrate coordination or Government program and articulate their hops and aspirations.

Administrative Structure

The Department of Social Security and Women and Child Development is headed by a Director who acts as head of the Department.

Organizational Structure of Social Security Women and Child Development, Punjab

Minister
Social Security and Women and Child Development
Secretary
Social Security and Women and Child Development
Director
Social Security and Women and Child Development
Additional Director
Additional Director (SS)		Joint Director (Admn)	Joint Director (ICDS) (two posts)	Deputy Controller, (Finance and Accounts)
Deputy Director (Pension)	Deputy Director (Defence)	Deputy Director (General-I)	Deputy Director (General-II)	Joint Director (Admn)	Deputy Directors (four posts)	Superint-endent (Accounts)
District Social Security Officers in each District	12 Superinten-dent Homes Under Juvenile Justice Act.	1. V.R.C. Ludhiana Hoshiarpur, Bathinda. 2.Institute for Blinds, Ludhiana. 3.Workshop for the handicapped, Ludhiana. 4. Home for Mentally retarded children Kapurthala.	1. Gandhi Vanita Ashram Jalandhar. 2.Kasturba Sewa Ashram Rajpura. 3. Home for Widows and Destitute Jalandhar. 4. Potective Home, Jalandhar. 5. Home for Aged and Infirms, Hoshiarpur. 6. Beggar Home, Kapurthala 7. Mahila Ashram High School, Hoshiarpur. 8.Gandhi Vanita Ashram High School, Jalandhar.		Program- me Officers in each district	Section Officer (I,II and III)
					Child Development Project Officers in each Block

Thrust Areas

Development of women and Children who constitute about 70% of the total population of the state. Providing social security to the Aged and Informs women and destitute women, handicapped mentally retarded and delinquent children, widows and destitute women. Implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act 1986. Implementation of the persons with disabilities (equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation) Act 1995.

Grantin-aid to non government organization working for the rehabilitation or Aged, weak and Disable.

Major Achievements

2.50 lac beneficiaries have been benefited under the old Age Pension Scheme.

60000 beneficiaries have been benefited under Financial Assistance to widows and destitute women scheme. 23000 beneficiaries have been benefited under Financial Assistance to dependent children scheme. 22000 beneficiaries have been benefited under Financial Assistance to disabled persons scheme. There art 324 inmates in the Homes working under the Juvenile Justice Act 1986. 337000 beneficiaries are getting benefit under ICDS Program 7000 beneficiaries have been benefited under Kanya Jagrit Joti Scheme. 456000 women above the age of 60 years have been provided free travel facility in Punjab Roadways and Pepsu Road Transport Buses. 3% reservation has been provided to the handicaps in Government jobs. 193 persons (blind) have been adjusted in various Departments as on 28.2.98. The retirement age for the blind has been enhanced from 58 years to 60 years. 61 blind students ate studying in Govt. Institute rot blind Ludhiana where free education, food, and hostel facilities are provided to them up to 10^th class. A Braille Press and a Talking Library has also been set up at a cost of Rs. 212.00 lac for providing free books for students in Braille. Three vocational Rehabilitation centres have been set up at Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana and Bhatinda where Vocational Training is imparted to handicapped. Thirty Five Non Government organisations have been given Grant-in-aid amounting to Rs. 46.12 Iac during the year 1997-98 who are working for the welfare of children women handicapped and weaker section of the society.

Major Schemes/Projects

Financial Assistance to Disabled Persons
(Started in 1982)

Eligibility: Type and degree of disability: The handicapped person (blind, deaf and dumb, mentally retarded and chronic patients etc.) who, by reason of their severe degree of disability, are permanently infirm dependent on others.

Income: Should not exceed Rs.1000 per month

If the applicant is married, the income of both husband and wife should not exceed Rs.1500 per month.

If the disabled person is not earning, the income of parents should not exceed Rs.2500 per month.

Rate of Pension: Rs.200 per month per beneficiary.

Mode of Pension: Quarterly through Banks.

How to apply: A very simple application form is available free of cost from the office of District Social Security Officer. The contents to be certified by the Sarpanch and Lamberdar of the village and attested by either SDO (C)/Executive Magistrate/ Tehsildar/Naib Tehsildar/Programme Officer (ICDS)/CDPO/BDPO.

Sanction of Pension: Applications, complete in all respects, area submitted in the office of District Social Security Officer who processes the case, if found in order, Additional Deputy Commissioner sanctions the pension/financial assistance.

Budgetary Provision and Achievements

	1996-97	1997-98	1998-99
Beneficiaries	16969	21763	27274 (Proposed)
Expenditure/Budget	Rs.413.50 lacs	Rs.473.00 lacs	654.57 lacs (Plan budget not yet approved)

The Persons with disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of rights and full participation) Act,1995
(Implementation January 1996)

The Persons with disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of rights and full participation) Act 1995
enacted by the Parliament has come into force from January, 1996.

Under section 13 of the Act, a committee has been constituted under the chairpersonship of Minister for Social Security Women and Child Development. The first meeting of the Committee was held on 9-3-1998. Under section 19 of the Act, an executive committee has bee constituted whose first meeting will be held on 2-4-1998. Under section 50 of the Act, Director Social Security, Women and Child Development has been declared as Competent Authority.

Under section 60 of the Act, Director Social Security, Women and Child Development has been appointed as Commissioner. A High Power Committee has been constituted who would ensure the implementation of the Act in the State as a whole and will also monitor the progress of wok being done for the welfare of the handicapped. The rules are being framed under the Act, which will be enforced shortly. The instructions have been issued to Transport, Labour and employment, Health and Family Welfare and Education Department for implementation of the provision of the Act regarding facilities to be provided by them in the said departments. The State Government has also decided to set up a hospital at the state level for the persons with severe disabilities during the year 1998-99. As per provisions of the Act, 3% posts have been reserved for blinds, deaf and dumb and orthopeadically handicapped persons. All out efforts are being made to fill the posts reserved for handicapped in class I, II, II, and IV services. Against the posts reserved for blinds, the department has sponsored the names of 364 persons different departments and Districts Administration out of which 193 have been given employment as on 28.2.1998. The retirement age has been enhanced from 58 years to 60 years for blind.

Govt. Institute for Blinds at Jamalpur, Ludhiana
Commissioned: 1968

Objective: Free education, food and hostel facility to the blinds upto 10^th class.

Capacity: 65 students. There are 61 students in the institute as on 28.2.98.

Braille Press: The Government has also set up a Braille Press and Talking library at the cost of Rs.212.00 lac for providing books to the students in Braille.

It has been declined to supply free books to the Blind Persons upto the age of 18 years.

Vocational Rehabilitation Centers.
Set up : In 1996-97

Objective: To impart training to the persons with disabilities in small vocations like canning, candle making, soap making, sewing embroidery, typing and shorthand etc. to enable them to stand on their own feet.

Where: i) A Vocational Rehabilitation Center for the handicapped girls has been set up at the premises of Govt. Institute for Blind, Jamalpur (Ludhiana) where 15 trainees are admitted.

ii) A Vocational Rehabilitation Center for the handicapped boys and girls has been set up at the Red Cross Bhawan, Bathinda, where 12 trainees are admitted.

iii) A Vocational Rehabilitation Center for the handicapped boys, and girls has been set up at Ram Colony Camp, Hoshiarpur, where 8 trainees are admitted.

There is a proposal for Regional Rehabilitation Centre for the orthopaedically disabled handicapped persons at Bathinda.

Grant-in-aid to Non-Government Organizations

The State Government is also providing Grant-in-aid to non-Government Organizations which are about 35 in number, working for the welfare of children, women, handicapped and weaker section of the society. A budget provision of Rs.46.12 lac as made during the year 1997-98. Plan Budget for the yet 1998-99 yet not approved.

Contact Information

Secretary Social Security and Women and Child Development
Punjab
Tele: 91-172-741233 (O)

Director Social Security and Women and Child Development
Punjab
Tele: 91-172- 602726 (O)
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DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT, PUNJAB, CHANDIGARH.|

BACKGROUND : Year 2006 - 07 Month - 3/2007
The Department of Social Security and Women and Child Development has been providing social services for the welfare of Old and Infirms, Women, Children and Disabled Persons since 1955. The following schemes are being run by this Department:-
SOCIAL SECURITY WING:
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO DISABLED PERSONS: (STATE SCHEME)

Monthly Financial Assistance @ RS. 250/- per month per person is given to the disabled persons is disbursed through Panchyats in rural areas and in urban areas pension is disbursed through banks:-

Year	Budget	Expenditure	Beneficiaries
2006-07	25660.75	23.08 crore	92531

Dedicated Social Security Fund.
TO streamline the flow of funds for Financial Assistance to Old Age, Widows and Destitute Women, Dependent Children and Handicapped Persons. The Govt. of Punjab has set up a Dedicated Social Security Fund by enhancing 3% stamp duty for registration in the urban areas and also by imposing 5% extra duty on the electrical bills in the State. The Govt. is hoping to collect Rs. 360.00 Crores by adopting this measure. The Financial Assistance to the most vulnerable and weaker sections of the society would be ensured on a monthly basis on the pattern of salary to the employees. These schemes will benefit the 15 lacs beneficiaries as other state.


FACILITY TO NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS: (STATE SCHEME)

The State Government is providing grant-in-aid to Non-Government Organizations working for the welfare of children, women, handicapped and weaker sections of the society.

S.No.	Scheme	Year	Budget (Rs. In Lacs)	Expenditure/ Beneficiaries
1.	State General Grant-in-Aid and Deaf and Dumb (Non plan)	2006-07	13.42	10.65 / 2687
2.	Punjab State Social Welfare Advisory Board (Non Plan).	2006-07	74.45	43.40 / Nil
3.	P.M. 1.10 Assistance to NGOs	2006 - 07	150.00	141.39 / 4016

SCHOLARSHIPS TO THE HANDICAPPED STUDETNS/TRAINEES: (STATE SCHEME)

This assistance is given to the handicapped students @ Rs. 200/- per month per student upto 8th class and Rs. 300/- per month from 9th class onwards.

Year	Budget (Rs. in Lacs)	Expenditure	Beneficiaries
2006-07	10,00,000/-	10,00,000	324

FREE AND CONCESSIONAL TRAVEL IN THE BUSES OF PUNJAB ROADWAYS AND P.R.T.C. (STATE SCHEME)

3% posts in Govt. jobs have been reserved for the deaf and dumb, blinds and physically handicapped persons as per guidelines of