Welfare Standing Committee

The Welfare Standing Committee is a crucial body within Kerala's local self-government institutions (Grama Panchayat, Block Panchayat, and District Panchayat) that works for the upliftment of marginalized and vulnerable sections of society.

The primary objective of this committee is to ensure that the panchayat's development funds and welfare schemes effectively reach the eligible beneficiaries. Its responsibilities and structure are outlined below:

Key Responsibilities and Areas of Operation

1. Social Security Pensions:

  • Identify eligible beneficiaries for various social security pensions—such as old-age, widow, disability, and agricultural worker pensions—and ensure that the prescribed criteria are met.

2. Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) Development:

  • Prioritize the renovation of SC/ST colonies, the availability of drinking water, and housing construction (for example, LIFE Mission projects).
  • Ensure the timely distribution of educational benefits and scholarships to children belonging to this category.

3. Women and Child Development and Welfare of Persons with Disabilities:

  • Plan awareness programs to prevent violence against women and children, and women's development schemes through gender budgeting.
  • Implement the distribution of assistive devices (such as wheelchairs and hearing aids) for persons with disabilities, as well as self-employment schemes for them.

4. Poverty Eradication and Employment Opportunities:

  • Identify the extremely poor within the panchayat area and prepare and implement special micro-plans for them.
  • Coordination of Kudumbashree systems, improving the functioning of neighborhood groups, and making subsidies available for women's self-employment groups.