MODULE 1 -
Definition, Nature and Scope of Social Welfare
Definition:
The concept of social welfare refers to the organized system of social services and institutions
that aim to improve the well-being and quality of life of individuals, families, and communities.
According to Richard Titmuss, social welfare includes “all collective interventions to meet
certain needs of individuals and to serve the wider interests of society”.
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) defines social welfare as “the total range
of organized activities—public and voluntary—concerned with the prevention, alleviation, or
solution of social problems, and the improvement of individuals and communities”.
Thus, social welfare is both a process and a system through which society assists its members to
attain a better standard of living and social adjustment.
Nature of Social Welfare
The nature of social welfare can be understood through its key characteristics:
1. Humanitarian and Service-Oriented: Rooted in compassion and humanitarian values, social
welfare embodies moral commitment to support and uplift those in need.
2. Preventive, Curative, and Developmental: It seeks to prevent social problems (like poverty),
cure existing social issues (such as family disorganization), and promote development through
empowerment, education, and capacity-building.
[Link] and Evolving Concept: Social welfare changes with the evolution of society,
economy, and technology. It expands its scope from charity-based relief to rights-based
development.
4. Interdisciplinary in Nature:It draws upon sociology, psychology, economics, political science
and law, aiming for the holistic improvement of society.
[Link] and Voluntary Partnership: Both governmental and non-governmental bodies participate
in welfare activities, demonstrating the cooperative nature of social welfare within a democratic
setup.
[Link]-Based and Rights-Oriented: Modern social welfare emphasizes human rights, equality,
justice, and social inclusion, consistent with the ideals of a welfare state.
Scope of Social Welfare
The scope of social welfare is broad, multidimensional, and expanding. It extends to various
sectors that promote social stability, equity, and human welfare.
[Link] and Family Welfare: Includes programs for child welfare, women’s development,
youth services, and family counseling.
[Link] Welfare:Aims to strengthen community development, housing, sanitation, and
rural upliftment.
[Link] and Medical Services: Encompasses preventive and curative health initiatives, mental
health care, sanitation, and public health programs.
[Link] Security and Employment: Includes social insurance, old-age pensions, disability
benefits, unemployment support, and vocational training.
[Link] and Awareness: Promotes literacy, special education for differently-abled persons,
skill development, and awareness campaigns for social change.
[Link] and Social Justice: Provides services for substance abuse prevention, crime
correction, and rehabilitation of marginalized groups like refugees, differently-abled, and
destitute individuals.
Social welfare is a dynamic system that combines human compassion, social equity, and
governmental responsibility to create a just and inclusive society. It seeks to balance individual
well-being and collective harmony, promoting the moral and material advancement of all. In
modern welfare states like India, social welfare has transcended charity and become a
right-based developmental function, essential for democratic and sustainable growth.
Concept of Social Welfare & SWA in India
Concept of social welfare
The concept of social welfare refers to all organized efforts made by society—mainly through
government and voluntary organizations—to improve the living conditions and quality of life of
people, especially those who are poor, vulnerable, and socially disadvantaged. It deals with
promoting human well-being, removing inequalities, and ensuring that everyone gets equal
opportunities to grow and develop.
According to Richard Titmuss, “Social welfare includes all collective interventions to meet
certain individual needs and to serve the wider interests of society.” This means social welfare
goes beyond charity—it ensures systematic support for people in need through laws, programs,
and public institutions.
In India, the concept is rooted in the philosophy of a welfare state, where the government takes
primary responsibility for the well-being of its citizens. The Preamble and Directive Principles of
State Policy (Part IV) of the Indian Constitution clearly express this goal. Article 38 urges the
State to promote welfare by securing a social order based on justice, and Article 41 directs the
State to ensure the right to work, education, and public assistance in times of need.
Social welfare in India covers various sectors such as health, education, social security, women
and child development, empowerment of marginalized communities, and assistance to persons
with disabilities and the elderly. It includes government programs (like MGNREGA, ICDS, PM
Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana) as well as the efforts of voluntary agencies that reach grassroot
levels.
Thus, the concept of social welfare in India represents not just relief or charity but a planned,
rights-based and state-supported system that ensures economic and social justice for all citizens.
Social Welfare Administration in India
Social welfare administration means putting welfare policies and laws into practical action. It is
the process through which welfare programs are planned, organized, implemented, and evaluated
to achieve the goals of a welfare state.
After Independence, the Government of India gave great importance to welfare administration.
During the First Five-Year Plan (1951–1956), the Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB) was
created in 1953 under the leadership of Dr. Durgabai Deshmukh. Its role is to coordinate welfare
work by voluntary organizations and provide them with financial and technical support.
At the national level, welfare activities are managed mainly by the Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment, the Ministry of Women and Child Development, and other related departments.
At the state level, each state has a Social Welfare Department, and at the district and local levels,
Panchayati Raj institutions and NGOs implement welfare programs for rural and urban
populations.
Major functions of social welfare administration include:
• Planning and implementation of policies for weaker sections.
• Coordination between government and voluntary agencies.
• Disbursing funds and monitoring welfare schemes.
• Training personnel for effective service delivery.
• Evaluating programs and ensuring accountability.
Social welfare administration in India ensures that development reaches the poorest and most
marginalized groups. It turns welfare ideals into practical action, helping India move closer to its
constitutional goal of justice, equality, and social progress.
CSWB – Central Social Welfare Board
The Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB) is a major institution in India that promotes social
welfare through collaboration with non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
It was established in 1953 by the Government of India under the Ministry of Education,
following the recommendations of a committee led by R. R. Bhandari. Today, it operates under
the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
Aims and Objectives of CSWB
The CSWB was created to:
• Provide support and financial assistance to voluntary organizations (NGOs)
working for women, children, and marginalized communities.
• Promote community development and grassroots participation in welfare
programs.
• Act as a bridge between the government and civil society in implementing welfare
schemes.
Structure of CSWB
• It functions as an autonomous body under the Government of India.
• Works in coordination with State Social Welfare Boards (SSWBs) in all states and
union territories.
• The Board of Management includes:
• A Chairperson (usually a senior social worker or activist)
• Representatives from central ministries
• Experts from NGOs and social service sectors
• The CSWB acts as the national-level coordinating and funding agency for social
welfare initiatives.
Key Functions of CSWB
1. Funding NGOs:
→ Provides grants-in-aid to registered NGOs involved in welfare activities for women,
children, and the underprivileged.
2. Implementation of Schemes:
→ Launches and monitors welfare schemes such as:
• Family Counselling Centres (FCCs)
• Awareness Generation Projects (AGPs)
• Creches for working mothers’ children
3. Capacity Building:
→ Trains and supports NGOs in project planning, reporting, and administration.
4. Monitoring and Evaluation:
→ Oversees the progress of welfare programs and ensures effective use of funds.
5. Policy Advice:
→ Provides recommendations to the government on issues related to women, children, and
voluntary welfare work.
Significance of CSWB in Indian Welfare System
• Decentralizes welfare by empowering local NGOs and community-based groups.
• Encourages people’s participation in social development.
• Plays a key role in reaching remote or underdeveloped areas where government
schemes often struggle.
• Acts as a pioneer in women and child welfare — especially before the creation of
separate ministries for these sectors.
• Builds partnerships between civil society and the state, improving trust and
cooperation.
The Central Social Welfare Board is a cornerstone institution in India’s social welfare landscape.
By funding and supporting voluntary organizations, the CSWB helps implement crucial
programs at the grassroots level. Its work with marginalized communities, especially women and
children, makes it vital for achieving inclusive and participatory development in the country.
Models of Welfare
The models of welfare represent different ways by which societies and governments organize
welfare services for their citizens. They show how responsibility for human well-being is divided
between the state, family, and market. The main models are Familial, Institutional, and Titmuss’s
Three Models of Welfare.
1. Familial Model of Welfare
The Familial Model is based on the idea that welfare and care of individuals are primarily the
responsibility of the family rather than the state or formal institutions. In this system, family
members—especially women—provide care for children, the elderly, and the sick.
Key Features:
• Welfare is informal and personal, dependent on family support systems.
• The state plays a minimal role, offering assistance only when families fail.
• Social solidarity and moral responsibility within the family are central values.
• Examples include societies with strong kinship ties, such as India, Italy, and
Spain.[econstor +1]
Advantages:
• Strengthens family bonds and traditional values.
• Encourages self-reliance and mutual support.
Limitations:
• Overburdens families, especially women caregivers.
• Neglects individuals who lack family support.
Thus, familial welfare aligns with traditional and developing societies, where family remains the
main welfare provider.
2. Institutional Model of Welfare
The Institutional Model sees welfare as a normal and necessary function of modern industrial
society. It considers welfare services such as healthcare, education, and social security as
universal rights, not as charity or last-resort aid.
Key Features:
• The state plays a central role in providing welfare to all citizens.
• Services are available to everyone, regardless of income or status.
• Welfare is preventive and developmental, aiming to ensure well-being before problems
arise.
Examples:
Countries such as Sweden, Norway, and Denmark follow this model through universal
healthcare, education, and child support programs.
Advantages:
• Promotes equality and social justice.
• Reduces inequality by redistributing resources through taxation.
Limitations:
• Expensive for governments to maintain.
• May reduce individual or family responsibility.
This model represents the ideal of a welfare state, where the goal is social stability and human
development through state support.
3. Titmuss’s Models of Welfare
Richard Titmuss, a British scholar known as the “father of social policy,” developed three
influential models of welfare to explain how societies organize social services. These are: the
Residual Welfare Model, the Industrial Achievement–Performance Model, and the
Institutional–Redistributive Model.
(a) Residual Welfare Model
This model assumes that the family and the market are the primary sources of support. The state
should intervene only when these two systems fail to meet people’s needs.
Key Features:
• Welfare is temporary and selective, given only during emergencies.
• Help is means-tested (based on proof of poverty or need).
• Welfare is considered a last resort, not a right.
• It promotes self-reliance and minimal government dependency.
Examples:
Countries like the United States and Canada follow this model, providing limited welfare
through short-term programs such as food assistance and unemployment aid.
Advantages:
• Encourages independence and work motivation.
• Controls government spending.
Disadvantages:
• Creates inequality and stigma; people may feel ashamed to seek help.
• Provides minimal social protection.
(b) Industrial Achievement–Performance Model
In this model, welfare is closely linked to employment and contribution. People receive benefits
based on their work performance, income level, or social status.
Key Features:
• Welfare is earned, not given freely.
• Based on the principle of economic productivity and merit.
• Benefits protect employees during unemployment, illness, disability, or retirement.
• It maintains social order by rewarding work and contribution.
Examples:
Countries such as Germany and France follow this system through social insurance programs,
where workers and employers both contribute.
Advantages:
• Ensures fairness; people get benefits according to contribution.
• Strengthens work ethics and societal stability.
Disadvantages:
• Discriminates against people outside the labor market (like the elderly or unemployed).
• Encourages inequality between high and low-income groups.
(c) Institutional–Redistributive Model
This is the most comprehensive and egalitarian model proposed by Titmuss. It sees social
welfare as a basic human right and a normal function of society.
Key Features:
• Welfare is provided universally, to every citizen, not just the poor.
• It focuses on social equality, collective responsibility, and redistribution of resources.
• Funded through progressive taxation, ensuring the rich contribute more.
• The aim is to prevent social problems, not just react to them.
Examples:
Scandinavian countries like Sweden, Denmark, and Norway follow this model, providing
universal healthcare, free education, unemployment benefits, and pensions.
Advantages:
• Promotes equality, social justice, and dignity for all citizens.
• Reduces class gaps and provides security to all members of society.
Disadvantages:
• High public expenditure; depends heavily on taxation.
• May reduce motivation for work if not managed effectively.