New panel for welfare of Nomadic Communities

Why in news?
  • Finance Minister Piyush Goyal has announced in the Budget to form a welfare panel for Nomadic, Semi-nomadic and de-notified communities (DNT).
More about it.
  • Committee which is tasked to identify DNT will be set up under NITI Aayog.
  • Committee will follow Renke Commission and Idate Commission
Renke Commission
    • National Commission For De-notified, nomadic and semi-nomadic Tribes (NCDNT) was establishedin 2014 for period of three years for framing an appropriate scheme for pre and post matric scholarships and construction of hostels for DNT students.
    • Renke commission was to identify the DNTs which are not listed in SC, ST and OBC list to avail the benefits for the scheme.
    • Recommendations:
    (1) Enumerate DNTs in the next census due in 2011.
    (2) For implementation of welfare Schemes for DNTs State-wise list of such tribes should be prepared.
    (3) Committees should be made at District and State level to assist the socio-economic condition of the DNTs.
    (4) Special steps to issue Caste Certificates and ration cards to every member of DNT.
    (5) Special campaign for issue of voter ID to the eligible members of DNT.
    (6) Modify the existing Housing Schemes in urban/rural areas and earmark specifically for DNTs.
    (7) Awareness of DNTs particularly among women to avail the benefit of various schemes for educational empowerment.
  • Seats may be reserved in Block/Taluka Panchayats and ZilaPandhayats/Zila Parishads, and the Urban Local Bodies for DNTs. Etc.
Idate Commission
  • The commission was constituted in January 2015 for a three-year temporary term, following which it had to submit its report identifying these communities state-wise, assessing their development status, and recommending ways to uplift them.
  • Recommendations:
  1. The report has called DNTs poorest of the poor, most marginalized and most downtrodden communities.
  2. The commission has recommended giving protection to DNTs under the Atrocities Act.
  3. Recommended a Constitutional amendment so that Scheduled NT/ DNT/ SNT can be added as a third category after Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Act.
  4. Noted that entire communities were branded as criminals under the colonial rule through enforcement of the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871. Despite repeal of the Act after Independence, subsequent legislations have forcibly alienated them from their traditional occupations and habitations.
Source
The Hindu, PIB
Posted by Jawwad Kazi on 2nd Feb 2019
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