Govt launches scheme for de-notified and nomadic tribes in education, housing, health sectors

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday launched an umbrella initiative to ensure that benefits of its schemes in education, healthcare and housing sectors reach the denotified, nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes across the country. Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar launched a dedicated portal to ensure seamless registration to avail benefits under the scheme and will also act as a repository of the data on these communities.

Under the scheme for economic empowerment of Denotified Tribes (DNTs), semi-nomadic tribes (SNTs) and nomadic tribes (NTs) - SEED - the government seeks to provide free coaching to students for civil services examinations, competitive exams for admission to professional courses; health insurance; livelihood support and housing.

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“This scheme is the first small step towards the progress and development, but not the last for these communities who have been subjected to neglect and apathy for many years,” Singh said at a function to launch the scheme here. The denotified tribes, nomadic tribe and semi-nomadic tribes are among the most neglected, marginalised and economically deprived communities with most living a life of destitution. The free coaching initiative is expected to enable them to appear in competitive examinations and open up opportunities in medical, engineering, business administration and other sectors.

"Approximately, 6,250 students will be provided free coaching under this component in five years. The total funds spent in five years will be Rs 50 crore," an official statement said. Under the health insurance initiative, 4,44,500 families will be covered under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana for a period of five years and at a cost of Rs 49 crore.

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Considering the shortage of houses for denotified tribes, the government has proposed to earmark a separate outlay for Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) to support specific importance in providing houses only for the communities. "Approximately, 4,200 houses will be constructed under this component in five years. The total funds to be spent in the five years will be Rs 50 crore," it said. Under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), the government plans to create nearly 2,000 clusters to generate employment for these communities. Historically, these communities never had access to private land or homeownership and used forests and grazing lands for their livelihood and residential use.

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