Welfare Standing Committee
The Welfare Standing Committee is a crucial sub-committee operating under the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act. This committee is responsible for the planning and implementation of matters related to the welfare of vulnerable sections of society, social security, poverty alleviation, and gender equity.
1. Structure
The structure of this committee at the Grama Panchayat, Block Panchayat, and District Panchayat levels is as follows:
| Role | Details |
|---|---|
| Chairman | An elected member of the Panchayat chosen by the Council. (Usually, the Vice President is the Chairman of the Finance Committee, so another member is elected to this position). |
| Members | Some of the other elected members of the Panchayat serve as members of this committee. A member can only be a part of one Standing Committee at a time. |
| Secretary | The Panchayat Secretary or an official related to the committee's subjects acts as the ex-officio Secretary, attending the meetings and implementing the decisions. |
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2. Main Duties and Powers
The main subjects handled by the Welfare Standing Committee are related to social welfare and social justice:
| Subject | Duties |
|---|---|
| Social Welfare | Supervising the implementation of social welfare schemes, social security pensions, and other financial assistance programs. |
| SC/ST Development | Planning development schemes for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, and overseeing fund utilisation and beneficiary selection for these schemes. |
| Women and Child Welfare | Implementation and coordination of special schemes for women and children, Jagratha Samithis (vigilance committees), and child welfare activities. |
| Poverty Alleviation | Ensuring the effective implementation of poverty eradication schemes (e.g., Kudumbashree, Ayyankali Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme, etc.). |
| Public Distribution System (PDS) | Ensuring the efficient functioning of the Public Distribution System, including the distribution of rations. |
| Slum Improvement | Coordinating activities related to the renovation of slum areas and basic infrastructure development within them. |
| Public Health | Coordinating welfare-oriented public health and sanitation issues at the Panchayat level, including infectious disease control. |
In summary, this committee is responsible for all welfare and social security schemes implemented by the Panchayat for the helpless, the marginalised, and the women and children sections of society.