Welcome to Department of Social Welfare...
The Constitution of India provides certain special Constitutional safeguards for
the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections of
the population, so that they could take their rightful place in community. As citizens
of the Republic of India, they are fully entitled to certain rights and privileges,
which were denied to them in the past on the ground of Caste system and the practice
of Untouchability. Keeping in view, the Constitutional mandate, The Government of
Karnataka, through Social Welfare Department, formulated various programmes and
schemes for the upliftment of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (hereafter mentioned
as SC & ST) especially for their socio-economic and educational advancement from
the year 1956 onwards. Prior to 1956, Social Welfare Department was earlier called
as the Depressed Classes Department. It was headed by the Commissioner for Depressed
Classes along with an Additional Development Commissioner. He was in charge of schemes
meant for the SC/ST people, Denotified Tribes, Nomadic and Semi-nomadic Tribes and
economically backward people. Prior to 1956, the officers at the district level
were called as Depressed Class Officers. In the four districts of the erstwhile
Bombay State, they were called as the District Special Backward Classes Officers
and in the three districts of the erstwhile Hyderabad – Karnataka area, they were
called as the Social Officer. In 1956 the Department was named as Social Welfare
Department and in 1959, the district level officers were re-designated as District
Social Welfare Officers, looking after the welfare of SC/STs, Backward Classes,
Minorities, Women and Child Welfare, Physically Handicapped, etc. In the year 1975,
the Women and Child Welfare along with Disabled Welfare, was separated into a separate
department. The Department of Backward Classes and Minorities separated out in the
year 1977, and the Department of Tribal Welfare was separated out from this department
in 1998.
Today, the Commissionrate of Social Welfare takes care of the welfare of Scheduled
Caste people only. The Commissioner of Social Welfare heads it.
(As per 2011 Census, the total population of Karnataka State is 6.11 crores, of
which SC and ST constitute about 1.05 lakhs and 42 lakhs respectively.The percentage
of SC and ST population of the State is 17.15% and 6.95% respectively. The literacy
rate among SC is 67% and ST is 62% as against the general literacy of 75.40%).
To implement various schemes and programmes, both Central and State Government provide
funds. Though some of the schemes are funded either wholly or partly by the Central
Government through the Special Central Assistance, Centrally sponsored Schemes under
Special Component Plan and Tribal Sub Plan, majority of the schemes are funded and
implemented by State Government alone. The schemes are implemented broadly at three
different levels, one at State level (Social Welfare Commissionerate), other at
District level (Zilla Panchayat) and few at the Taluk Panchayat level. These schemes
cover the main priority sectors; Education, Employment, Housing, Irrigation, etc.
The office of the Commissioner of Social Welfare, Bangalore, is classified into
various sections for administrative convenience such as Education Section, which
monitors and implements Educational Schemes, Employment and Training Section – monitors
and implements Employment and Training Schemes, Special Component Plan – in-charge
of monitoring the Special Component Plan, Co-ordination Section, which co-ordinates
the activities of all sections and also implements certain schemes such as compensation
to atrocities victims, construction of Ambedkar Bhavana at District and Taluk level,
training to law graduates.
Organisational Structure
The department of Social Welfare was established during the year 1956, vide Govt.
Order No. SS-4009-SRD-2-56-1 dated 18-10-1956. The very purpose of starting the
department is for the welfare of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/ Other Backward
Classes/ Women and Children. Subsequently, separate departments for welfare schemes
pertaining to Women and Children, Other backward classes and Minorities and Scheduled
Tribes were started. At present, the Department of Social Welfare is taking care
of the welfare of Scheduled Castes only.
Administrative Setup:
The Administrative setup of the department has got three levels
1. State Level
2. District Level
3. Taluk Level
1. State Level
At the State Level, the Commissioner of Social Welfare is functioning as the Head
of the Department and he is assisted by three Joint Director, four Deputy Directors,
One Chief Accounts Officer. Apart from this, one Joint Director of Social Welfare
is working as Director of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Research Institute. There is one Pre-Examination
training centre at Ambedkar Bhavan, Miller's Road, Bangalore, where coaching is
given to Scheduled Class students who are aspirants of passing Indian Civil Services
Examinations like IAS and IPS. Click here for Directorate of Social Welfare Setup.
2. District Level
All the Programmes of the Social Welfare Department at the District Level are being
implemented by the Zilla Panchayats. The District Social Welfare Officer is Head
of Social Welfare at the District Level and he will assist the Chief Executive Officer
of Zilla Panchayat in implementing the Social Welfare Programmes.
3. Taluk Level
Taluk Social Welfare Officer is the Head of the Taluk Social Welfare Office and
he will work under the control of taluk Panchayat and assist the Executive Officers,
Taluk Panchayat and District Social Welfare Officer of the District for the implementation
of Departmental Schemes.