WELFARE DEPARTMENTS

the BACKWARD CLASS DEPARTMENT.

THE BACKWARD CLASS.

History.

THE BACKWARD CLASS DEPARTMENT WAS CREATED in 1931 as a result of the recommendations made in 1930 by the Depressed Classes and Aboriginal Tribes Committee. The classification recommended by the Committee and adopted by Government includes within backward classes persons of three different categories, viz., (1) untouchables classed as " scheduled classes"; (2) aboriginal and hill tribes; and (3) such other classes of persons as Government may class as "other backward classes". As soon as any caste or section of the population ceases to require protection or, aid it may be removed from the list of backward classes and it will then cease to have any special connection with the Backward Class Department.

The communities under Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are approved by the President's order under the Constitution of India. The Constitution of India has also provided for special protection and encouragement to be given to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in view of their extremely backward condition. The population of backward classes in Kolhapur district as per 1951 Census was as' follows:-

It is the policy of Government to push on vigorously with the work of amelioration of backward classes so that the communities at present classified as backward may be assimilated into society on a common footing with others and they may make rapid progress in economic, social, cultural and other spheres, and conditions may be created in which they will cease to be backward.

The Central Government also gives liberal grants for this purpose under article 273 of the Constitution.

Organisation.

With the inauguration of the bilingual Bombay State, a new department of Labour and Social Welfare has been created which looks after the amelioration of backward classes. In addition to a separate Secretary, a post of Deputy Secretary has also been created in this department. The head of the department called as the Director of Backward Class Welfare, has his headquarters at Poona. He is assisted at headquarters by one Personal Assistant of the rank of Assistant Director of Backward Class Welfare. In addition, there are three Assistant Directors, all at the headquarters, one in charge of Education, another in charge of Lands and the third in charge of Economic matters. The posts are filled by transfer of suitable Class I or Class II officers of the Departments of Education, Co-operation and Revenue. There are also twenty-three Backward Class Welfare Officers in the old Bombay State area each in charge of a single district. These officers are of the status of the Second Grade Mamlatdars. There are also two regional Nomadic Tribes Welfare Officers, one for Maharashtra and the other for Gujarat, appointed specially for the welfare of nomadic tribes. They are of the status of Backward Class Welfare Officers. The department is not ordinarily entrusted with executive work, as its main function is co-ordination of the work of other departments concerned with backward class welfare work. The execution of a programme in any particular field is the responsibility of the department concerned with that field and its officers. The Director of Backward Class Welfare seeks to co-ordinate the work of the various departments concerned in accordance with the directives of Government and the relevant provisions of the Constitution and collects such information and statistics from the departments as are required by Government.

The uplift of backward classes is sought to be achieved in many ways. First of all, special facilities are given to. them for receiving education. For example, they get free studentships in Government as well as non-Government schools, and scholarships in arts and professional colleges and technical institutions. In addition, the Backward Class Department gives monetary help to poor and deserving students from the backward classes studying in secondary, collegiate, and technical institutions, by way of lump sum grants for the purchase of slates, books, tools, etc., and for payment of examination fees. A percentage is prescribed by Government for the admission to training institutions of men teachers from backward classes. In the case of women teachers, no percentage has been separately fixed, but if suitable women belonging to these classes are available for training, preference is given to them in the matter of admission to training colleges.

Voluntary agencies are encouraged by means of grant-in-aid to open special hostels for Backward Classes. There are eleven such hostels in the Kolhapur district run by the following voluntary agencies: -

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The voluntary agencies are also encouraged to open and run balwadis for backward class children of tender age to teach them habits of cleanliness and ultimately to achieve their assimilation with other higher caste Hindu children. To solve, effectively the problem of education of the backward classes voluntary agencies are encouraged to open sanskar kendras for Scheduled castes, ashram schools for Scheduled Tribes and ashram schools-cum-sanskar kendras for ex-criminal tribes.

There are in all thirty-three sanskar kendras in Bombay State and grants are paid to the voluntary agencies conducting them. There is only one sanskar kendra in the Kolhapur district, viz., the sanskar kendra at Kolhapur conducted by Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, Satara.

There are, in all, twenty-two schools in the Bombay State as on 31st March 1957. No ashram school is, however, located in the Kolhapur district, as the population of Scheduled Tribes in the district is very small. The total number of ashram schools-cum-sanskar kendras in the Bombay State as on 31st March 1957, is five. No ashram school-cum-sanskar kendra is located in the Kolhapur district. Though one such ashram school was sanctioned in 1954-55, no voluntary agency came forward to fun such an institution.

Secondly, reservation of posts is made for members of the backward classes in the public services. The following percentages of vacancies are reserved for members of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other Backward Classes, in Class III and Class IV services and posts: -

There is a collective reservation of vacancies in respect of the State (Gazetted) Services, viz., 12½ per cent, in respect of the backward classes as a whole. The above percentages represent the minimum number of vacancies to be filled in by the appointment of members of backward classes, but it is open to the appointing authorities to recruit members of backward classes in excess of these percentages, if they are otherwise considered suitable for such appointments vis-a-vis other candidates. Similar percentages are prescribed for recruitment of backward classes in the services of local bodies and institutions receiving Government grants-in-aid. Different percentages varying from 15 to 45 have been prescribed for appointment of members of backward classes as primary school teachers in the various districts in the State.

The maximum age-limits prescribed for appointment to Class III and IV services and posts under the relevant recruitment rules have been relaxed by five years, instead of three years as before, in favour of candidates belonging to backward classes.

Thirdly, special attention is devoted to provision of housing accommodation for backward classes. The Backward Class Department helps in providing housing sites for members of the scheduled classes by acquiring lands and disposing of the plots to individual members at a nominal occupancy price fixed in consultation with the Collector of the district.

The Post War Reconstruction Scheme No. 219 sanctioned by Government during 1948-49, has been sanctioned as one of the schemes under the Second Five-Year Plan. The scheme envisages grant of financial assistance to backward class families in the State to build their own houses through co-operative housing societies, etc. Under the scheme loans are granted to housing societies of backward class persons upto an amount not exceeding 75 per cent of the estimated cost of houses, which is taken to be anywhere between Rs. 3,000 and Rs. 4,000 in industrial areas like Bombay, Ahmedabad, Poona and Sholapur; Rs. 2,000 in places having district or borough municipalities and in other areas, the estimated cost is fixed at Rs. 800, Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 1,500 as the case may be. The loan is free of interest and is made repayable in twenty-five annual instalments. If a member of such a society is engaged in agricultural pursuits, an additional loan not exceeding 60 per cent, of the cost of a shed and barn estimated at not more than Rs. 100 is also made available to such a member for construction of a shed and barn. Subsidies are also granted to such societies to meet their cost of management, etc., at the rate of Rs. 10 per tenement for the first two years and, later on, at the rate of Rs. 5 per tenement till the entire Government loan is repaid. These societies are also granted loan free of cost for housing sites or for Government lands or, where Government lands are not available Government subsidy equal to the cost of acquisition of private lands is made available to them. In industrial areas of Bombay, Ahmedabad, Poona and Sholapur 2½ gunthas of land are made available to a non-agricultural member, while in other areas only 1½ gunthas are given. Agricultural numbers get 3 gunthas each, in all the areas. A limit to the value of land is fixed at Rs. 5 per square yard in the four industrial cities. In other areas, the land should be of the value current in lower middle class localities and the excess costs, if any, should be borne by the societies.

This scheme has undergone a certain revision, as the concessions given under this scheme are now restricted to societies of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and ex-criminal tribes registered after the 14th August 1953. Housing societies of other backward classes registered after 14th August 1953, are eligible for concessions under the scheme only in genuine cases of hardships and with the special approval of Government. Such societies are, however, eligible for Government lands where available, in all cases.

Fourthly, the economic regeneration of the backward classes is promoted by various steps. With a view to improving the technique of the hereditary occupations of these classes, Government have sanctioned a number of peripatetic parties in the State on 31st March 1957, for imparting training to artisans and their children in various industrial subjects. Stipends are granted to students admitted to the schools. Backward class students are also awarded scholarships for taking industrial training at the various technical and industrial institutions.

There are various other measures adopted by Government for the economic uplift of backward classes. The chief among them are-

(a) Grant of cultivable waste lands to backward classes.

(b) Grant of forest lands to backward classes on agri-silvi system.

(c) Grant of tagai loans.

(d) Provision of special concessions to backward classes in respect of removal of timber, minor forest produce, cutting of fuel, etc.

(e) Grant of financial assistance for the formation of backward class co-operative farming societies.

(f) Grant of forest coupes to backward class forest labourers co-operative societies at an upset price.

Special attention has also been devoted by the Government to the welfare of nomadic tribes and semi-nomadic tribes. Among backward classes, the nomadic and semi-nomadic communities are perhaps the most backward who could not take benefits of several schemes. As these communities have no settled way of life, and they go from place to place in search of living, and are steeped in illiteracy and poverty, they have not been able to take much advantage of the various schemes implemented by Government for the welfare of the backward classes. Government have included special schemes in the Second Five-Year Plan for the uplift of nomadic tribes and semi-nomadic tribes. Special schemes such as " Granting of loans" to the members of nomadic tribes for hawking business and amelioration of women of nomadic tribes by imparting training in crafts have been included in the above head; besides the usual schemes, viz., the opening of ashram schools, balwadis and sanskar kendras, free supply of books and slates; provision of hostel facilities; starting of industrial training centres; grant of financial assistance to labour contract societies and co-operative housing societies; appointment of propaganda workers and digging of wells, etc.; and grant of loans and subsidies to hereditary and trained artisans.

Fifthly, measures had been taken to ensure the social uplift of backward classes, especially of Harijans. The Bombay Harijan (Removal of Social Disabilities) Act (X of 1947), and the Bombay Harijan Temple Entry Act (XXXV of 1947), had been enacted with a view to bringing about complete removal of untouchability as far as public and civic rights were concerned. However, with the enactment of an All-India Act, known as "The Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955", the Bombay Harijan Acts referred to above were repealed in the Bombay State with effect from 8th May 1955. The Bombay Devadasis Protection Act (X of 1934), has declared unlawful the performance of any ceremony having the effect of dedicating girls as devadasis. These unfortunate girls were usually members of the backward classes.

In addition, Government have enforced laws, such as the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948, and the Bombay Agricultural Debtors' Relief Act, 1948. These Acts are of general application and are intended to safeguard the rights of agricultural tenants, to grant them privileges, and to provide relief to agricultural debtors. The backward class agriculturists, a large number of whom are tenants and agricultural debtors, can receive the benefits of these laws in the same manner as other tenants and agricultural debtors. In addition, officers of the Backward Class Department, in the normal course of their duties, help the backward class agriculturists to secure the relief available to them under these Acts.

The Backward Class Department has to see that the policy of Government is fully implemented in day to day administration.

For advising the Backward Class Department in regard to its activities in the district, there is a special Backward Class Sub-Committee of the District Development Board for the district.

It is constituted of the Vice-Chairman of the District Development Board, a non-official nominated by Government, is to act as the Chairman of the Sub-committee of the Board. The Backward Class Welfare Officer of the district is the secretary of the sub-committee relating to the work of amelioration of backward classes. The functions of the Sub-committee are: -

(a) To provide information regarding the grievances and needs of Backward Classes.

(b) To form a channel of communication between the Director of Backward Class Welfare and backward classes.

(c) To give their opinions on questions referred to them by the Backward Class Board or the Director of Backward Class Welfare.

(d) To help backward classes by bringing their needs and grievances to the notice of the local officers concerned.

(e) To take suitable measures for the removal of untouchability and other disabilities and removal of harmful social customs among the various backward classes.

(f) To carry on propaganda work as far as possible among backward classes.

In addition to the work of ameliorating the condition of Backward Classes through the Government channel, voluntary agencies engaged in the task of amelioration of backward classes are given every possible encouragement. Several voluntary agencies, which are pioneers in this field, are recognised and given suitable grants-in-aid in the light of their activities. The main activity of these voluntary agencies is propaganda with a view to appraise backward classes of the civic rights and privileges provided by Government for them and also of the directives issued by Government for the amelioration of their condition. This propaganda is carried out by workers appointed by the voluntary agencies. Maintenance of hostels, establishment of ashram schools, balwadis, sanskar kendras are the other important activities sponsored by Government undertaken by voluntary agencies with Government aid. There are in the Bombay State, in all, sixteen voluntary agencies working for the amelioration of backward classes and recognised by the Backward Class Department. There are, also 111 propaganda workers in the State. Out of these, 3 propaganda workers are working in Kolhapur district, specially for Scheduled Castes.

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