SEED Scheme

Why in News?

Denotified tribes (DNT), semi-nomadic tribes (SNT), and nomadic tribes (NT) are protesting against the Centre’s SEED scheme for rejection of caste certificates in 29 states, and the Idate Commission’s report of 2017.

The Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED)

The Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED) is a program of the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, to assist in the development and welfare of Denotified Tribes (DNT), Nomadic Tribes (NT), and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (SNT):

• Launch
  • The scheme was launched on 16 February 2022.
• Ministry
  • Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
• Objectives
  • The scheme provides coaching to DNT candidates for competitive exams, health insurance, financial assistance for housing (through PMAY/IAY), and community-level initiatives to build institutions.
• Eligibility
  • DNT communities with a yearly family income of Rs. 2.50 lakh or less from all sources are eligible if they are not already receiving benefits from similar government schemes.
• Implementation
  • The Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities coordinates with state governments, the National Health Authority, and NRLM in implementing the scheme.
• Beneficiary identification
  • State governments and union territories identify beneficiaries and issue necessary certificates.

De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes of India

• De-Notified Tribes (DNTs) are vulnerable and deprived communities of India.
• Criminal Tribes Act of 1871
  • DNTs were ‘notified’ as ‘born criminals‘ during the British regime under the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871.
  • These Acts were repealed by the Independent Indian Government in 1995, which made them ‘De-Notified’.
• Nomadic and semi-nomadic communities
  • Nomadic and semi-nomadic communities are moving from place to place; they do not have a specific place to reside.
  • Till now, DNTs and DNTs were never allowed to purchase private land and home.
  • DNTs are mostly under SC, ST, and OBC categories.
• Population
  • South Asia comprises the world’s largest nomadic population.
  • Nearly 10% of India’s population is Denotified and Nomadic.

Commitee and Commissions on DNTs, NT and SNTs

• A National Commission for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (NCDNT:
  • A National Commission for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (NCDNT) was constituted in 2006 by the then government.
  • It was headed by Balkrishna Sidram Renke and submitted its report in 2008.
  • The commission held that “It is an irony that these tribes somehow escaped the attention of our Constitution makers.
  • They are deprived of Constitutional support unlike Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes“.
  • The Renke commission estimated their population at around 10.74 crores based on Census 2001.
• Idate Commission:
  • The National Commission was constituted in 2015 under the chairmanship of Shri Bhiku Ramji Idate.
  • This commission was to identify and properly list DNT communities in different states, to evaluate the progress of development of these communities in the states.
  • Suggestions
    • As suggested by this commission, in the year 2019, the Government of India established the Development and Welfare Board for DNTs, SNTs &NTs, also abbreviated as DWBDNCs.

Initiatives for DNT

• Dr. Ambedkar Post-Matric Scholarship for DNT Students
  • This Centrally Sponsored Scheme was initiated during 2014-15 for improvement of downtrodden students not covered under SC, ST or OBC.
• Scheme for Construction of Hostels for Boys and Girls from Nomadic Tribes:
  • This Centrally Sponsored Scheme commenced during the year 2014-15. It operates through the State Governments/ UT Administrations/ Central Universities.

Odisha Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) Empowerment and Livelihood Improvement Programme (OPELIP-II)