29-Mar-2022: Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs
A Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs(SEED) has been formulated for livelihood support for the Denotified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic communities. The interventions under this are:
- To facilitate youth of these communities to secure jobs through competitive examinations by providing coaching of good quality;
- To provide health insurance to DNT communities under PM-JAY;
- To promote secure livelihoods though economic activities and by organising them into self-help groups;
- To provide financial assistance for construction of houses to members of the DNT communities.
The Scheme will benefit 6250 students by providing free coaching, 4,44,500 families by providing health insurance, 2,000 clusters for livelihood initiative and 4,200 families by providing houses in next five years.
A portal has been developed for inviting application through online system for easy access to the beneficiaries under the Scheme. Utmost care has been taken to make this portal user friendly.
16-Feb-2022: Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar launches a Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED)
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar launches the Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED) today here at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi for the welfare of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Communities.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Virendra Kumar said that the DNTs, NTs, SNTs are the one of the most deprived and economically weaker communities in India. There are historical reasons for this. The misery of these communities began with the enactment of the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 during the British rule. These communities were subjugated, persecuted and neglected. The policies of the colonial government affected lives and livelihood adversely. Little did the colonial state realize the plight of these communities after they were branded as criminals under various colonial acts. This led to the forcible alienation from their traditional occupations and habitations. They remained hunter gatherers and pastoral/peripatetic.
Even after the Independence; they have not benefitted much from the planned development of over seven decades. They were deprived of state support like the SCs/STs. Various efforts were undertaken for bringing these communities in the main stream. Accordingly, the first commission was set up in October 2003 during the first NDA Government to look into the problems of these communities. The Renke Commission was set up in 2008. Government was pained to see the miserable condition in which the members of these communities are living and to give impetus for planned development of these communities, the National Commission was constituted in 2015 under the chairmanship of Shri Bhiku Ramji Idate. This commission was tasked among others to identify and proper listing of these communities in different states, to evaluate the progress of development of these communities in the states so that a systematic approach can be developed for the development of these communities.
Based on the recommendation of this commission, the Government of India set up the Development and Welfare Board for DNTs, SNTs &NTs (DWBDNCs) in 2019.
The Government also decided to create an umbrella scheme for empowerment of these communities and accordingly, the Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs, SNTs &NTs (SEED) has been formulated with four components that affect their livelihood.
The four component of the SEED scheme are:
- Educational empowerment- Free coaching to students from these communities for Civil Services, entry to professional courses like medicine, engineering, MBA, etc.
- Health Insurance through PMJAY of National Health Authority.
- Livelihoods to support income generation, and
- Housing (through PMAY/IAY)
The scheme will ensure expenditure of Rs.200 crore to be spent over five years beginning 2021-22. The DWBDNCs has been tasked with the implementation of this scheme.
One important feature of this scheme is the online portal which has been developed by the Department. This portal will ensure seamless registration and will also act as a repository of the data on these communities. The portal is very user friendly and easily accessible on mobile phone with its mobile application. It will provide real time status of the application to the applicant. The payment to the beneficiaries will be made directly in to their accounts.
“This government is committed for the upliftment of the last man standing and is determined to bring him into the mainstream of overall development,” said Dr. Virendra Kumar.
“This scheme is first small step towards the progress and development but not the last for these communities who have been subjected to neglect and apathy for many years,” the Union Minister added.
On this occasion, Minister for State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri A. Narayanaswamy Said that the De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes are the most neglected, marginalized and economically and socially deprived communities. That is why, it is extremely important to bring changes in the collective thinking about these communities.
This Government, under the guidance of our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, has taken the initiatives for proper rehabilitation of these communities and for identification of areas of intervention for their progress. Accordingly, a Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities has been constituted.
He said that this Government is committed to ensure overall development of these communities in true sense following the mantra of our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji - Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Viswas, Sabka Prayaas.
Shri R. Subrahmanyam, Secretary, Shri Surendra Singh, Joint Secretary, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment and Shri Bhiku Ramji Idate, Chairman, Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic Communities were also present on the occasion.
15-Feb-2022: Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry to launch a Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED)
The Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar will launch the Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED) at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, the 16th February, 2022 at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi for the welfare of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Communities.
The De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes are the most neglected, marginalized and economically and socially deprived communities. Most of them have been living a life of destitution for generations and still continue to do so with an uncertain and gloomy future. De-notified, Nomadic and Semi- nomadic Tribes somehow escaped the attention of our developmental framework and thus are deprived of the support unlike Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Historically, these communities never had access to private land or home ownership. These tribes used forests and grazing lands for their livelihood and residential use and had "strong ecological connections. Many of them are dependent upon various types of natural resources and carve out intricate ecological niches for their survival. The changes in ecology and environment seriously affect their livelihood options.
The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment took a decision in February, 2014 to constitute a National Commission for De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Tribes for a period of three years. This National Commission was constituted under the Chairmanship of Shri Bhiku Ramji Idate. This commission has given its report in December, 2017. In its report, the commission prepared draft lists of DNT/NT/SNT Communities. The details of the number of DNT/NT/SNT communities.
Based on the National Commission’s recommendations, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has constituted the Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNCs) in 2019. The Board has been mandated to formulate and implement welfare and development programmes for these communities. A Scheme for empowerment of DNT communities have been formulated for families having income from all sources of Rs.2.50 lakh or less per annum and not availing any such benefits from similar Scheme of Centre Government or the State Government. The Scheme will have following four components with an approximate cost of Rs 200 crore to be spent over a period of 5 years starting Financial Year 2021-22 to 2025-26.
To provide coaching of good quality for DNT/NT/SNT candidates to enable them to appear in competitive examinations.
A component of free Coaching for DNT Students has been envisioned for the educational empowerment of these communities. The objective of this component is to provide good coaching quality for DNT candidates to enable them to appear in competitive examinations/ admission to professional courses like medicine, engineering, MBA, etc for obtaining an appropriate job in Public/Private Sector. The selection of the candidates for each course will be based on system generated merit list through the portal. Approximately, 6250 students will be provided free coaching under this component in five years. The total funds spend in the five years will be Rs.50 crore.
To provide health insurance to DNT/NT/SNT Communities.
Members of DNT/NT/SNT communities are likely to have little or no access to medical facilities and other benefits available under the mainstream health policies. They are so poor that they cannot afford private medical care. The primary objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to National Health Authority (NHA) in association with State Health Agencies (SHAs) for undertaking providing a health insurance cover of Rs.5 lakhs per family per year to DNT, NT and SNT families as per norms of “Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Approximately, 4,44,500 families will be covered under health insurance in five years. The total funds spend in the five years will be Rs.49 crore.
To facilitate livelihoods initiative at community level to build and strengthen small clusters of DNT/NT/SNT Communities institutions.
The decline of traditional occupations of DNT/NT/SNT communities has exacerbated their poverty. A focus to support livelihood generation for these communities is required. The primary objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM)for undertaking institution building in association with State Rural Livelihoods Mission (SRLM) of state Governments/UTs at community level as a livelihood initiative to enhance productivity growth in key livelihood sectors for employment generation for DNT/NT/SNT communities through investments in institutional support, technical assistance. Approximately, 2,000 clusters will get benefit under this component in five years. The total funds spend in the five years will be Rs.49 crore.
To provide financial assistance for construction of houses to members of the DNT/NT/SNT Communities.
At present, a very large number of families belonging to the DNT/NT communities are without permanent shelters and dwellings. In view of their changing Socio-economic scenario, a large number of DNT communities are trying to settle themselves at one place or the other and take to alternative professions. It has been seen that DNTs are living in slum conditions all over the country both in urban and rural areas. They live either in the open, small and makeshift tents or in small hutments or improvised pucca or kachcha houses.
Considering the shortage of houses for DNTs, it has been proposed to earmark a separate outlay for PMAY to support specific importance in providing houses only for DNTs living in rural areas who have not taken benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana as SC, ST, OBC and are living below poverty line. The admissible support is Rs 1.20 lakhs in plains and 1.30 lakhs in hilly areas (per unit assistance).Approximately, 4,200 houses will be constructed under this component in five years. The total funds spend in the five years will be Rs.50 crore.
PORTAL: The Scheme will be implemented through a portal, developed by the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment. The portal consists of two modules. One module for registration of the applicant with details of his family, income, occupation, Aadhar and bank details, caste certificate, etc. Upon completing the registration, the applicant will be assigned a unique ID (UID) number, which will be his permanent registration number. With this UID, the applicant can apply of one or other components of the scheme, subject to his eligibility. The second part consists of the scheme component for which the applicant wants to seek benefit with his UID as Login id and his mobile as his password. The portal will create a permanent database and can be retrieved whenever the applicant desires to enroll for new component.
The funds will be transferred directly to the beneficiaries in their account. The other implementing agencies are Ministry of Rural Development, National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and National Health Authority (NHA).