Social Justice and Empowerment! The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is entrusted with the empowerment of the disadvantaged and marginalized sections of the society.
Two Departments : “Department of Social Justice and Empowerment” and “Department of Disability Affairs” created under the Ministry with effect from May 14th, 2012.
The target groups of the Ministry are:
- Scheduled Castes
- Other Backward Classes
- Persons with Disabilities
- Senior Citizens and Victims of Substance Abuse
The Ministry has been implementing various programmes/schemes for social, educational and economic development of the target groups. As a result there has been considerable improvement in the welfare of these groups.
Prohibition of traffic in human beings and forced labour –
Traffic in human beings and beggar and other similar forms of forced labor are prohibited and any contravention of this provision shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law.
Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from imposing compulsory service for public purposes, and in imposing such service the State shall not make any discrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste or class or any of them.
Prohibition of employment of children in factories, etc. –
No child below the age of fourteen years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other hazardous employment.
39A. Equal justice and free legal aid –
The State shall secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice, on a basis of equal opportunity, and shall, in particular, provide free legal aid, by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way, to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities.
Promotion of educational and economic interests of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections –
The State shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, and, in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation
