The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) successfully organised a seminar on ‘Economic Inclusion for Vulnerable Populations’, in collaboration with the World Bank, today in New Delhi. This seminar is part of an ongoing series of consultations, focusing on optimizing India’s social protection delivery systems by integrating insights from successful international practices.

 

Under a non-lending technical assistance framework, the Ministry’s collaboration with the World Bank seeks to foster a community of practice dedicated to extending social protection to the vulnerable sections of the society. The primary aim is to enhance the effectiveness of social protection schemes, ensuring that the most marginalized communities receive robust and timely support.

 

The event commenced with a welcome address by Secretary (DoSJE), Shri Amit Yadav, setting a purposeful tone for the discussion. In his address Shri Yadav said, “Our Department delivers its mandate through its various schemes and programmes that are targeted at the most destitute segments of society. Alongside our Department seeks to gain better understanding of these segments of population. For this we engage in collaborative efforts with people/organisations having experience of working in this sector. We are proactively trying to upscale our engagements with NGOs, knowledge partners, religious organisations for better implementation of our schemes so that benefits reach those that need them the most. This seminar series is an outcome of one such endeavour”.

 

 

Keynote addresses by Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), and Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), underscored the government’s commitment to an inclusive social protection framework addressing economic vulnerabilities across rural and urban settings.

Shri Ajay Srivastava, Economic Advisor (DoSJE), presented an overview of some interventions of the Department in this field. Further insights were shared by Ms. Swati Sharma, Joint Secretary (MoRD), on the transformational impact of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). Ms. Shalini Pandey, Director, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), discussed the SvaNidhi Scheme’s role in urban economic resilience, while Shri Amit Meena, Deputy Secretary (MSDE), shared updates on initiatives of the Ministry for skill upgradation.

Global insights from the World Bank were presented by Ms. Dalal Moosa, Senior Economist, Mr. Muderis Abdulahi Mohammed, Senior Social Protection Specialist, and Ms. Aneeka Rahman, Senior Social Protection Economist. Their perspectives illuminated the critical role of international collaboration in advancing India's social safety nets. Ms. Parikrama Chowdhry, Lead (Policy) at J-PAL South Asia, emphasized the value of integrating local and global best practices to drive effective economic inclusion for marginalized groups.

This seminar marks a pivotal step in reinforcing India's social protection system through a collaborative, evidence-based approach. The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment reiterates its dedication to broadening service delivery and providing enduring support for the nation’s vulnerable populations.

 

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