Welfare Schemes for SCs and STs — Current Affairs 2026
Current Affairs Connections
Launch of PM Vishwakarma Scheme for Traditional Artisans
September 2023The PM Vishwakarma Scheme, launched with ₹13,000 crores allocation, specifically targets traditional artisans including many from SC communities who have been engaged in crafts like carpentry, blacksmithing, and pottery for generations. This scheme represents a shift from welfare to skill-based empowerment, providing training, toolkit support, and credit assistance. The scheme's focus on preserving traditional skills while modernizing techniques aligns with the broader objective of SC/ST welfare schemes to provide dignified livelihood opportunities. The scheme includes provisions for brand promotion and market linkage, addressing long-standing challenges faced by SC artisans in accessing formal markets.
UPSC Angle: Expected questions on integration of traditional skills with modern economy, role of skill development in SC/ST empowerment, and convergence of various welfare schemes
Supreme Court Judgment on Creamy Layer in SC/ST Reservations
August 2024The Supreme Court's recent judgment examining the applicability of creamy layer concept to SC/ST reservations has significant implications for welfare schemes. While the court maintained that creamy layer cannot be applied to SCs and STs due to their unique constitutional status, it emphasized the need for periodic review of beneficiary identification. This judgment affects welfare scheme implementation as it reinforces the principle that SC/ST status is immutable regardless of economic advancement, ensuring continued access to welfare benefits. However, it also highlights the need for better targeting within these communities to ensure benefits reach the most disadvantaged sections.
UPSC Angle: Questions likely on constitutional interpretation of SC/ST status, impact on welfare scheme eligibility, and balance between affirmative action and merit