Two-day conference to review social empowerment schemes to begin Monday in Agra

New Delhi, Sep 8 (PTI) The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is set to host a two-day conference in Agra beginning Monday to assess the progress of various social empowerment schemes and foster coordination between Centre and state/UT governments to overcome challenges in its implementation.
     "Chintan Shivir", a national review conference, will bring together key stakeholders, including ministers from social justice departments from across all states and Union territories, senior officials and policymakers, a statement by the ministry said.
     The conference will focus on developing a strategy to build towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Vision 2047", it said.
     The event, chaired by Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar, Union ministers of state BL Verma and Ramdas Athawale, will also serve as a platform to exchange best practices and identify future social empowerment strategies, it added.
     The first day of the conference on September 9 will feature presentations on schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) and the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PM-AGY), which are aimed at the upliftment of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Economically Backward Classes, Denotified Tribes, and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
     Other discussions will focus on skill development programmes under the Pradhan Mantri Dakshata aur Kushalata Sampann Hitgrahi Yojana (PM-DAKSH) and financial assistance for entrepreneurs from marginalised communities through venture capital fund.
     Scholarship schemes for SCs and PwDs will also be highlighted, including the PM Young Achievers Scholarship Award Scheme for Vibrant India (PM-YASASVI) and the Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SRESHTA), the ministry said.
     On the social empowerment front, the day will cover the implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Key schemes such as the National Action Plan for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) and the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) for senior citizens will also be discussed, it said.
     The second day will showcase state-level presentations on innovative approaches to social welfare, including efforts towards the rehabilitation of individuals engaged in begging and the welfare of marginalised communities like Denotified Tribes. Special focus will be placed on the scheme Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons, the ministry said.
     The conference will conclude with a valedictory session, summarising key discussions, and will culminate in a visit to the Taj Mahal, providing cultural context to the proceedings, it said.
     The "Chintan Shivir" is expected to lay the groundwork for long-term reforms aimed at improving the welfare and empowerment of marginalised communities across India, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Vision 2047", the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)