DoSJE and NALSA Partner to Boost Awareness of Social Welfare Schemes

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment and the National Legal Services Authority signed an MoU to increase public awareness of social welfare schemes. The SARTHIE 1.0 initiative was launched to empower marginalized communities through legal assistance and education on critical legislations.

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) and the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday to elevate public knowledge of social welfare schemes.

The pact, signed at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi, aims to bolster legal and welfare support for marginalized communities across India.

The signing featured Virendra Kumar, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, and Supreme Court Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Executive Chairman of NALSA.

The event also marked the launch of the SARTHIE 1.0 initiative, designed to empower vulnerable groups including Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, senior citizens, transgender persons, substance abuse victims, beggars, and denotified and nomadic tribes.

Under this partnership, State and District Legal Services Authorities will organize awareness camps nationwide.

These camps, led by para-legal volunteers and panel lawyers, will educate communities about key legislations protecting marginalized groups, such as the Protection of Civil Rights Act, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and other crucial laws.

The SARTHIE 1.0 initiative aligns with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, focusing on eradicating poverty, reducing inequality, and promoting social protection policies.

Justice Khanna highlighted the partnership's significance in reinforcing social justice, ensuring marginalized sections are informed of their rights and have access to government welfare schemes.

(With inputs from agencies.)