Categories of Social Security

 The legislation devised by the states aimed at providing comprehensive social security coverage to its people in general and the workers and their families in particular. The major heads were categorized as:

·        Medical care;

·        Sickness benefit;

·        Employment benefit;

·        Old age benefit;

·        Employment injury benefit;

·        Family benefit;

·        Maternity benefit;

·        Invalidity benefit; and

·        Survivors benefit (ILO 1952).

The Government of India formulated the constitution and started its implementation from January 26, 1947. There are 400 to 600 statutes to protect the people and their rights.

Different ministries and departments were constituted. Powers and responsibilities were divided to look after proper implementation of the statutes. The Government of India started a number of other measures apart from the statutory provisions. Important ministries and departments were established and powers were divided to work smoothly and effectively. 

The details of the ministries, government of India are given as below:

·        Agriculture

·        Art and culture

·        Commerce

·        Communication

·        Defence

·        Education

·        Environment and Forest

·        Finance and Taxes

·        Food and Public Distribution

·        Foreign Affairs

·        Government and Administration

·        Health and Family Welfare

·        Housing

·        Home affairs and Enforcement

·        Industries

·        Infrastructure

·        Information and Broadcasting

·        Labour and Employment

·        Law & Justice

·        Power and Energy

·        Rural Development

·        Science and Technology

·        Social Development

·        Transport

·        Travel and Tourism

·        Youth & Sports

 (National Portal of India//india.gov.in/my-government/government-directory)

The Government of India has constituted new ministries for women and child development, tribal affairs, social justice and empowerment and so on. Each and every ministry is responsible for implementing certain rules and regulations with some schemes and programmes in its supervision.

The forms of security and the process of implementation have been different in different times and places. However, the objective of providing social security has remained the same. Despite the differences, the most important aim of social security is to provide some forms of assistance to the members of the society during the eventualities like, sickness, accident, unemployment, old age, death, etc.

However, the other objectives have still been to be reinvented which provide measures to transform the society into a strong one.  These objectives may be stipulated as below:

·     Establishment of good governance: It is the foremost objective because in absence of good governance the social security measures are useless. If these measures are not able to bring the desired results then this is the fault of the systems responsible to implement the measures. Thus, there is a great need to evolve such a good, effective implementation mechanism to achieve the broad objectives of perfect application of the powers.  It should evolve a system to maintain a reasonable standard to make it realize the desired goal.  It should also be a model system to play its role effectively in creating peace and harmony in the society as a whole. Such an ideal system having access to all and establishing well-being and happiness of the entire population within the territory.

·     Nourishment to all: It is the second most important measure to be ensured by the system. The strength of the nation lies in the robust and strong citizens.  The potential can be much more beneficial and can be utilized in favour of the nation if the physical, mental and psychological status of the citizens will be upto the mark.  It is also important here that mother-nature doesn't bless every specific attribute to all.  Some are blessed with some specific qualities and others are with others.  To build a strong nation the different qualities are required at large and that can be ensured only by provisions of nourishment for all.

·     Envy and jealousy are two major bad qualities that can be detrimental to the development of individuals, groups, communities, etc. It is capable of destroying social peace and harmony.  Control of these emotions and establishment of cooperation and caring approach by minimizing envy and jealousy is the third major objective of good governance.

·     Education is fourth most important need to establish a strong society sensitive towards the desired direction.  This is the most significant tool to inculcate the strong values and humanitarian attitudes/attributes, among the citizens.  This also ensures the future of the country.  Hence, quality education should be designed favouring broadly the national integrity.

·     Extension of resources necessary to fulfill the other fundamental needs: The major challenge for a model social security system is to ensure the accessibility of the other fundamental needs to the entire population.  Apart from the nourished food, clothing, shelter, medical facilities, employment security, etc. are other fundamental needs to be ensured to be satisfied. Otherwise, it will create dissatisfaction among the deprived sections and can be proved a threat to the peace and harmony of the society.

·     Extension of development to all sections of the society: A strong mechanism should be developed to extend the benefits of the development to all sections of the society equally.  It should be ensured that the facilities and services are equally distributed in the society.  Otherwise it will also cause dissatisfaction in the society.

·     Society needs some changes as the developmental process goes on.  The modification of those activities favouring social cooperation and social harmony can demand some specific approaches.  That can be done only by a strong governance system.  Hence, the identification of the specific needs, their fulfillment is the important liability of the system.

·     Creation of such socio-economic and political conditions under which individuals are able to pursue, with human dignity, their specific ends of life, individually and collectively.

Though we have reached the twenty-first century, still we have not been able to design a proper social security system broadly covering all population in the society.  Everything seems to run in confusion.  Developing a broad social security system is neither a priority of any of the governments, nor the agenda of development.  Whatever means and approaches are being designed is being implemented with a very narrow approach to cover some sections or some parts of the universe.  That is too being implemented without setting up proper mechanisms and allocation of resources.  Learning from the experiences approachesalso seems to shrink perspectives.  As a result, the fate of the approaches ends in the same ways.

The failure of the approaches and designing of the new ones is enough to understand that it is a very important phenomenon of the society.  Without which the march of society cannot be expected to the desired direction.  Thus, it has been conceptualized in every society irrespective of the ages.   This is also true that whatever the forms and priorities but the role of the state always remained pivotal. Hence, all the conscious, intellect and cautious approaches have tried to define the state’s role first, and then contributions of other stakeholders have been described.