GK Question

Answer: True

Panchayat social justice role: (a) Article 243G (73rd Amendment): Empowers Panchayats to implement schemes for social justice, (b) Key focus areas: (i) Welfare of SC/ST: Implement reservation benefits, welfare schemes (scholarships, housing, livelihood) for SC/ST communities, (ii) Women's empowerment: Implement schemes for women's health, education, economic empowerment; ensure women's participation in Panchayat governance, (iii) Disabled welfare: Ensure accessibility, welfare schemes for persons with disabilities at village level, (iv) Affirmative action: Implement reservation policies in Panchayat employment, service delivery, (c) Applications: (i) Targeted schemes: Panchayats identify beneficiaries, deliver welfare schemes for marginalized groups, (ii) Social audit: Panchayats conduct social audit of welfare schemes to ensure benefits reach intended beneficiaries, (iii) Advocacy: Panchayats advocate for marginalized groups' needs in higher-level planning, resource allocation, (d) Challenges: (i) Awareness: Marginalized groups may not know about schemes, entitlements; Panchayats need outreach, awareness campaigns, (ii) Capacity: Panchayat members, staff need training on social justice issues, scheme implementation, (iii) Social barriers: Caste, gender discrimination may limit effective implementation of social justice schemes, (e) Illustrates transformative federalism: Article 243G enables Panchayats to operationalize social justice at grassroots; effective implementation requires capacity building, social mobilization, accountability mechanisms to ensure welfare reaches marginalized groups.