Union Ministry Hosts Seminar on Economic Inclusion for Vulnerable Populations in Collaboration with World Bank

New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), in partnership with the World Bank, hosted a seminar on “Economic Inclusion for Vulnerable Populations” in New Delhi today. This event is part of a series of consultations aimed at enhancing India’s social protection delivery systems, integrating successful international insights to better support the nation’s marginalized communities.

The collaboration, set under a non-lending technical assistance framework, reflects MoSJE’s commitment to establishing a “community of practice” that will prioritize effective and inclusive social protection. The goal of this partnership is to make India’s social support systems more robust, ensuring that vulnerable sections of society receive timely and impactful assistance.

The seminar opened with a welcome address by Secretary (DoSJE), Amit Yadav, who spoke of the Ministry’s mission to improve the reach and effectiveness of its schemes for the most marginalized populations. “Our Department delivers its mandate through schemes targeted at society’s most destitute. We proactively upscale our engagements with NGOs, knowledge partners, and organizations that have practical experience in this sector,” Yadav said, underscoring the value of collaborations like the ongoing seminar series to maximize the impact of MoSJE’s initiatives.

Keynote addresses from Shailesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), and Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), further underscored the government’s commitment to a comprehensive and inclusive social protection framework. They highlighted the importance of tackling economic vulnerabilities holistically, addressing needs in both rural and urban contexts.

The seminar featured presentations on successful government interventions, including insights from MoSJE Economic Advisor Ajay Srivastava. Swati Sharma, Joint Secretary (MoRD), shared how the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) is transforming rural economic resilience, while Shalini Pandey, Director of MoHUA, discussed the SvaNidhi Scheme’s impact on supporting urban street vendors. Additionally, Amit Meena, Deputy Secretary (MSDE), provided updates on skill enhancement programs aimed at empowering economically vulnerable individuals.

International perspectives from the World Bank were presented by Dalal Moosa, Senior Economist, Muderis Abdulahi Mohammed, Senior Social Protection Specialist, and Aneeka Rahman, Senior Social Protection Economist. Their insights highlighted the importance of global cooperation in strengthening India’s social safety nets. Parikrama Chowdhry from J-PAL South Asia emphasized the benefits of combining local and global best practices to support economic inclusion for marginalized communities effectively.

This seminar reflects a significant step toward reinforcing India’s social protection framework through collaborative, data-driven strategies. The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment reiterated its commitment to expanding service delivery and providing enduring support for India’s vulnerable populations.