WAJAHAT SHABIR
SRINAGAR: In a significant move to address the challenges faced by nomadic tribal families in Jammu and Kashmir, the government has rolled out targeted measures to improve their access to central welfare schemes.
Lacking identification documents, many of these communities have struggled to benefit from socio-economic initiatives. The Minister of Tribal Affairs in Rajya Sabha informed this.
As per the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961, the subject matter of nomadic tribes is allocated to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has informed that the De-notified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Communities (in short DNTs) having total family income from all sources of Rs. 2.50 lakh or less per annum and not availing any such benefits from the similar scheme of Central Government or the State Government is eligible for benefits under following schemes of Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, the minister said.
Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED), Pre-Matric Scholarships for OBC, EBC and DNT Students, Pre-Matric Scholarships for OBC, EBC and DNT Students. Top Class School Education for OBC, EBC, and DNT Students and Top Class College Education for OBC, EBC and DNT Students
To become eligible for benefits under SEED and other Schemes, the person should have a DNT certificate. For issuing DNT certificate, advisories have been issued to Chief Secretaries/Administrators of States/UTs including Jammu & Kashmir to issue DNT certificates to the people of these communities in a time bound manner after verification of credentials and other requirements, the minister said.
He said in the target population of DNTs, there is no community/caste wise identification or calculation of how the communities’ have been benefited through the Central Government schemes.
Majority of the nomadic communities are categorized as SC, ST and OBC in various States as applicable. Government of Jammu & Kashmir, Department of Tribal Affairs has informed that it outreaches all sections of society (including landless, homeless and paperless nomadic tribal families), on the basis of available Aadhar cards, he said.
The minister informed wherever a beneficiary does not have Aadhar, such families are covered through surveys/door to door verification etc. In order to ensure socioeconomic schemes are run on a saturation mode, Health and Social Welfare related schemes are delivered through door to door surveys and every effort is made to cover all deserving families.
Further, I-Cards like Pasture passes, Job Cards, and Labour Cards are also taken into account wherever needed. Further, Aadhar Centres, CSCs have been established in tribal areas of the UT to provide facilities to the Tribal population to prepare basic documents mandatory for scheme registration. In addition, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, in coordination with State Governments, has organized IEC camps in States / UTs, including Jammu & Kashmir, which are aimed at facilitating the preparation of basic documents like Aadhar Card, Jandhan Bank account, etc, which are required for availing benefits under different schemes, he said.
