Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry launches a Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED)

What is the news?

The Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED) for the welfare of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Communities.

What is the need for SEED Scheme?

The DNTs, NTs, SNTs are one of the most deprived and economically weaker communities in India. The policies of the colonial government affected lives and livelihood adversely. The misery of these communities began with the enactment of the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 during British rule.

They were branded as criminals under various colonial acts. This has 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.

What are the major government initiatives that were taken to mainstream DNTs, NTs, SNTs?

Various efforts were undertaken for bringing these communities into the mainstream. Accordingly, the first commission was set up in October 2003. The Renke Commission was set up in 2008.

In 2015, National Commission was constituted under the chairmanship of Bhiku Ramji Idate. This commission was tasked 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 has 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 and launched.

What are the salient features of the Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED)?

Source: This post is based on the article “Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry launches a Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED)” published in PIB on 16th Feb 2022.