Social Welfare

History of social welfare is as old as history of civilization. The concept of social welfare is not new in our country. The Social Welfare Office was established in 1967, an initiative of Urban Community Development Project was launched in Jhang in same year, Mandi Shah Jeewana in 1968  and a District Supervisor was appointed to supervise all the social welfare activities. In 1973, the post of District Supervisor was re-designated as District Field Officer, and Community Development Project in Shorkot and Medical Social Services Project (Now Medical Social Services Unit) was initiated at DHQ Hospital Jhang in 1974. District Industrial Home (Sanat Zar) was started in 1979 to impart exclusive skill development training to females. Medical Social Services Project (Now Medical Social Services Unit) DHQ Hospital Shorkot was established in 1983. District Field Officer was once again re-designated as Assistant Director. However, with the promulgation of the Devolution Plan in 2001, the head of the district was renamed as District Officer (Social Welfare) under Executive District Officer Community Development, which continued till January 1st , 2017  the same was replaced by Deputy Director (Social Welfare). Institutions of Socio-Economic & Rehabilitation Center (SERC) for women, juvenile prisoners and shelter home for women (Dar Ul Amaan) were established in 2003 and 2005 respectively.

Functions

According to Rules of Business 2011, Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal Department perform following functions:

• Registration, technical assistance and monitoring of social welfare agencies (NGOs)
• Social protection including institutional care, skill development and rehabilitation
• Registration, assessment, training, employment, and rehabilitation of disabled persons
• Eradication of social evils
• Coordination with and grant-in-aid to non-governmental organizations engaged in the field of narcotics control and rehabilitation of drug addicts
• Relief during calamities and emergencies
• Financial assistance to poor and needy through Punjab Bait-ul-Maal

Administration of the following laws and the rules framed there-under:

• The Punjab Vagrancy Ordinance, 1958
• Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration & Control) Ordinance, 1961
• The Punjab Social Services Board Ordinance, 1970
• Disabled Persons (Employment & Rehabilitation) Ordinance, 1970
• The Punjab Bait-ul-Maal Act, 1991

Deputy Director (Social Welfare) supervises the affairs of the Slice at the district level. There is one manager for the District Industrial Home (Sanat Zar). There is a superintendent for Shelter Home (Dar-ul Aman). There are three sanctioned posts of Social Welfare Officers supervising field projects at Jhang, Mandi Shah Jeewana and Shorkot and two Medical Social Officers at DHQ Hospital Jhang and, THQ Hospital Shorkot, a Social Welfare Officer is also posted at District Jail Jhang. There are a total of 72 sanctioned posts (BS 1 to BS 18) for the department in the district.

Non- Government Organizations Our strength (Community Development Projects)

Apropos Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration & Control) Ordinance, 1961 and Government of Punjab rules of business 2011, the department is liable for registration, technical assistance and monitoring of social welfare agencies. There are 76 (till date) registered VSWA in District Jhang. NGOs are now recognized as a vital component of a vibrant civil society. They motivate and mobilize voluntary efforts on the basis of self-help & mobilization of human and material resources to supplement government efforts to accelerate the development process. Jhang is flood / calamity effected district so role of NGOs in this regard is also appreciated. Three PWP centers for skill development of females are also working in collaboration with these NGOs.  The detail of NGOs under field offices is as following:

Sector wise detail of NGOs

District Industrial Home (Sanat Zar)

District Industrial Home is a training cum production center and commonly known as SANATZAR.  This scheme was launched back in 1979 with the aim to provide an opportunity for the socio-economic uplift of women in Jhang. Total sanction posts of institutions are 16. Total no of students imparted with training in 2019 were 216 (daily basis in different time period & courses) in trades of dress making, computer and IT, beautician, interior designing, machine and hand embroidery, fabric painting and cooking. Sanatzar Jhang collaborates with other institutions to get benefit from their new concept of training as well as to boost up the sales of center work. Presently, the department collaborated with NAVTTC and TEVTA. The students from Sanat Zar are not only actively participating in competitions and exhibitions conducted on district, divisional and provincial level but they are winning honor and prizes simultaneously.

Medical Social Services Unit(S)

Medical Social Services Units (MSSUs) are working in DHQ Hospital Jhang and THQ Hospital Shorkot The Medical Social Services Units (MSSUs) are established particularly for needy patients. MSSUs are providing free medical treatment / surgical equipment to the poor patients through Health Welfare Committee and Patient Welfare Society. Heath welfare committees work under the rules of Zakat Department and Zakat funds are allocated. The number of beneficiaries during year 2019-20 that got facilitated from Health Welfare committee was 2327 with budget of Rs 7.3 million while more than 2000 patients were facilitated through Patient Welfare Societies. Seven patients were facilitated through Pakistan Bait Ul Maal with budget of Rs 2.7 lac. On basis of principles of medical sociology / medical social work both offices are regularly run awareness campaigns against viral diseases and on importance of Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPIs) in collaboration with health department. During the alarming period of Covid 19 virus, both the offices were dynamically providing emergency services along with front line warriors (Doctors).    

Shelter Home (Dar Ul Aman)

DUA Jhang was established on 15th April 2004 and shifted to government / present building in 2010 at Toba Road Jhang. It has residential facility for 20 women. It provides shelter as well as medico-legal aid to women in distress, and their children. The number of residents in 2019 was 440. Shelter Home is regularly supervised and visited by District Judiciary and District Administration.  The pool of lawyers is notified for free legal assistance. The best of medical facilities and psychological counseling is available for residents.      

Socio-Economic & Rehabilitation Center (Serc) For Women And Juvenile Prisoners District Jail Jhang

Women and juvenile prisoners in jail face a variety of socio-economic problems besides emotional disturbances and psychological effects. There are under trial women and children, most of the women are accompanied by their minor children. SERC District Jail Jhang was established on 17th May 2003 for women prisoners and juveniles in order to save them from problematic circumstances to be faced while stay at jail and to make them responsible citizens / to avoid recidivism. The number of beneficiaries for year 2019 was 113 women inmates 14 minors with them and 104 juveniles.

District Facilitation Cell For Persons With Disabilities

Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance was issued in 1981 by the Government of Pakistan. Specially oriented District Facilitation Cell for persons with disabilities chaired by the Deputy Director SW & BM Jhang was started in June 2018 with recruitment of Five Social Need Officers. The cell issued 588 certificates to PWDs in year 2019 while 6614 certificates to PWDs issued since 2009.  A District Redressal Committee for PWDs with representation from all forms of PWDs and line departments are working convened by the Deputy Commissioner. The meeting of said committee is regularly conducted to resolve the issues of PWDs on local level.  

District Rehabilitation and training committee is attached committee U/S 9 of Disabled Persons (Employment & Rehabilitation) Ordinance 1981, convened by the Deputy Commissioner Jhang is proactively working for PWDs in Jhang. During the fiscal year 2019-20 DRTC distributed funds of Rs 0.8 Million among 67 PWDs.

Special Achievements

The achievments of the social welfare department are:

• International / national NGOs i.e Muslims hands, Helping hands, Qatar Charity, Lodhran Pilot Project, Punjab Rural Support Program, Al-Khidmat etc, proactively engage with society in collaboration with Social Welfare Department. They are running successful projects in fields of poverty reduction, cleanliness / hygiene, basic necessities / livelihood, installation of filter plants, rehabilitation / resettlement of flood effected, PWDs and social awareness

• The Social Welfare Department Jhang stood first in ranking of best / positive response (90%) in PMDU (Citizen) portal ranked by Secretary Social Welfare & Bait Ul Maal Punjab

• The Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar appreciated the staff and administration of Dar Ul Aman Jhang and honored with cash prize during his visit in April 2019 while the DUA Jhang stood first in Punjab for the last four years during monitoring by administrative department

• The administration of Dar Ul Aman Jhang has arranged / organized marriage ceremonies of orphan / homeless girls in collaboration with philanthropists

• The students of Sanat Zar Jhang are adding the feather in cap every year in examinations of NAVTTC. The students named Sabeeha, Sadia, Asma, Salma and Iram earned first position in country level examinations in years 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively

• The department is running state of art Sub Sanat Zar and Pak Paktab School in social welfare complex Jhang city. The Sub Sanat Zar is imparting vocational training to more than 130 students (daily strength) on no profit no loss basis while strength of Pak Paktab school is more than 150 students with minimal dues. For students that are unable to pay those minimal dues, there are several scholarships awarded by philanthropists

• The Sanat Zar Jhang and Social Welfare complex Jhang city was lastly renovated and complex has state of art seminar hall for community functions while all of the offices of department are in government buildings

• The initiative of Computer literacy center for juveniles by SERC District Jail Jhang was appreciated by administrative department and they circulate instructions to replicate the projects in all SERCs in Punjab

• District Human Rights Committee chaired by the Deputy Commissioner Jhang is actively working to raise the issues of Human Rights. The committee has equal representation from Minorities

• On prior directions of worthy District and Session Judge Jhang, a center for rehabilitation for drug addicts in purview of rules of Business 2011 and Section 52 and 53 of control of narcotic substances act, 1997 is established in DHQ Hospital Jhang administered by District Health Authority and supervised by Social Welfare department in collaboration with philanthropists

• District facilitation cell convened by the Deputy Director Social Welfare Jhang is working for the issues of that marginalized community. The cell registered and mainstream 42 transgenders/( گرو) by issuance of CNIC in collaboration with NADRA and election commission

• As per prior directions of Government on lines of Clean and Green Pakistan, the tree plantation is regularly managed and both of Social Welfare Complexes (Jhang City and Toba Road Jhang) has lush green plots and different ornamental plants. A special landscaping has been done

• As a result of liaison with district administration, the department is managing the ware houses for flood emergency accessories

• The department in collaboration with line departments adjusted 134 PWDs in public sector while 112 PWDs in private establishments. The department is strictly monitoring the 3% quota for PWDs in private establishments as well as government institutions

• In collaboration with Women Development Department, state of art day care centers for children of staff are established in Sanat Zar Jhang and Dar Ul Aman Jhang

• In the challenging time of Covid 19 virus spread, the department in collaboration with District Administration, Pakistan Army and philanthropists (Donor Agencies, NGOs) arranged food hampers distribution as well as provided financial assistance to more than 2000 families

Future Prospects

The future prospects of the department are:

• Establishment of UCDP Ahmad Pur siyal, UCDP Athara Hazari, MSSU THQ Hopistal Jhang city, MSSU THQ Ahmad Pur Siyal and MSSU THQ Athara Hazari
• Up-gradation of Pak Maktab Schools
• Establishment of Show room / marketing place and start of new trades at Sanat Zar
• Residences for officers / officials at social welfare complex