Denotified Nomadic Tribes

NATIONAL COUNCIL RECOMMENDS SOME PREVILIGES FOR MEDARAS & OTHER NOMADIC TRIBES

The National Advisory Council (Government of India), chaired by Smt. Sonia Gandhi, after deliberations, approved the recommendations of the Working Group on Medaris and other Denotified Nomadic Tribes on Friday 20th April, 2012 at New Delhi. The National Advisory Council Members Dr. Narendra Jadhav, Ms. Anu Aga, Ms Aruna Roy, Dr. N. C. Saxena, Ms. Mirai Chatterjee, Ms. Farah Naqvi, Shri Harsh Mander, Shri Deep Joshi, Prof. Pramod Tandon and Dr A.K. Shiva Kumar were attended this Twentieth meeting.

Dr. Narendra Jadhav, Convenor of the Working Group on Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs) presented the recommendations of the Working Group on six broad categories, such as, 1.Administrative Actions, 2.De-criminalization of DNTs, 3.Legislative Actions, 4.Policy Inputs, 5.Program Strengthening and Targeting, 6.Institutional arrangements. The Working Group on DNTs (NAC) made the some recommendations for enlightenment of these tribes & castes. 1) Enumeration and classification of DNTs is a first step towards identification of persons belonging to DNT communities. Therefore, DNTs should be given special focus in the Socio Economic Caste Census currently underway as well as priority in the issuing of UID cards. 2) A national campaign to inform the DNT communities about their rights as SC/ST/OBC and to inform the public that violence/discrimination against these communities and violations of their human rights is punishable under law. 3) Review the implementation of some of the existing Legislations, so as to provide safeguards for DNTs from harassment by the officials, and to ensure that the safety, livelihoods and nomadic life style of DNT communities are protected. 4) An Umbrella Scheme for Socio-economic Empowerment of DNTs with a special focus on those DNTs who are classified as OBCs and those who are not classified as SC/ST. For those DNTs classified as Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, a proportion to be earmarked in SCSP/TSP commensurate with their share in SC/ST population respectively; 5) A set of new programmes under the overall umbrella Scheme to be designed and implemented for DNTs, especially in respect of education, housing, livelihood and skill education as well as Community Organization and leadership building with special focus on women empowerment. 6) An Integrated Infrasructural Development Programme to provide basic amenities such as road, school, electricity, drinking water, community centres, etc. in the existing settlements of DNTs. 7) As part of strengthening the institutional arrangements, an Empowered Inter-Ministerial Task Force (STF) for DNTs to be set up and chaired by the Union Home Minister.

Some important Observations: 1.Medaris, Gangireddula, Mandula, Jogi, Katikapala, Jalari, Voddari, etc of AP comes under Denotified Nomadic Tribes. So, whatever the NAC recommends on DNTs, those will also applicable to these Communities. 2.NAC Working group did not recommended for special reservations in the line of SC/STs. 3.However, DNTs should negotiate with the Union/State governments for special reservations like SC/STs.