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Denotified and Nomadic Tribes

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Context

  • Denotified and Nomadic Tribes, a group of marginalized communities across Andhra Pradesh, have been silently suffering neglect and caste-based discrimination for centuries.

 About

  • According to a report published by the National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes in 2008, there are 59 Denotified communities and 60 nomadic tribes in Andhra Pradesh.
  • They continue to battle impoverished conditions and social stigma. • Of DNT communities, Lambadas (STs) are the most vocal and visible, followed by Vadderas (BCs) in the government sector and political spheres.
  • The other communities, including Yanadis, Yerukulas, Nakkalas, Pamulollu, and those falling in the SC group, rarely get their voices heard.

Nomadic, Semi Nomadic, and Denotified Tribes (NTs, SNTs, and DNTs)

  • Nomadic and semi-nomadic communities are defined as those who move from one place to another rather than living in one place all the time.
  • Denotified tribes (DNTs) are communities that were ‘notified’ as being ‘born criminals’ during the British regime under a series of laws starting with the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871.
  • While most DNTs are spread across the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) categories, some DNTs are not covered in any of the SC. ST or OBC categories.

Background

  • The term ‘De-notified Tribes’ stands for all those communities that were once notified under the Criminal Tribes Acts, enforced by the British Raj between l87l and I947.
  • These Acts were repealed by the Independent Indian Government in l952, and these communities were “De-Notified”. A few of these communities which were listed as de-notified were also nomadic.
  • Terms such as nomads and semi-nomads are applied to social groups who undertook a fairly frequent, usually seasonal physical movement as part of their livelihood strategy in the recent past.
  • The distinction between nomads and semi-nomads does not involve distinguishable ethnic categories or social groups, it rather describes the degree of mobility practiced by them.

Status in India

  • It has been estimated that South Asia has the world’s largest nomadic population.
  • In India, roughly 10 percent of the population is Denotified and Nomadic.
  • While the number of Denotified Tribes is about 150, the population of Nomadic Tribes consists of about 500 different communities.
  • While the Denotified Tribes have almost settled in various States of the country, the Nomadic Communities continue to be largely nomadic in pursuit of their traditional professions.

Challenges faced by NTs, SNTs, and DNTs

  • Lack of Recognition and Documentation: Denotified communities lack citizenship documents, which makes their identity invisible and causes hindrances in obtaining government benefits, and constitutional, and citizenship rights.
  • Limited Political Representation: Inadequate representation for these communities makes it challenging for them to voice their concerns and advocate for their rights.
  • Social Stigma and Discrimination: NTs, SNTs, and DNTs often face discrimination and social stigma, both due to their historically denotified status and their distinct way of life.
  • Economic Marginalization: Lack of access to resources, markets, and employment opportunities results in the economic marginalization of these communities.
  • Educational Deprivation: Educational opportunities for these tribes are limited, leading to high illiteracy rates.

Idate Commission

  • In 2014, a National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes was constituted under the Chairmanship of Bhiku Ramji Idate for a period of three years.
  • The commission has given the following recommendations;
  • There is a need to identify challenges faced by the NTs, SNTs, and DNTs owing to the stigma imposed by the enactment of the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 and later by the Habitual Offenders Act, 1952 and figure out a way to modify discriminatory provisions of the latter.
  • It also suggested the non-inclusion of DNTs/NTs/SNTs under the SC/ST/OBC and the formulation of specific policies for the former, among many others.
  • Setting up a permanent commission for Nomadic, Semi Nomadic, and Denotified Tribes (NTs, SNTs, and DNTs) in India.
  • It stressed on taking measures to discern hurdles endured by the communities in availing basic facilities such as education, employment, health care, and legal documents, among others.

Steps taken by the government

  • Based on the recommendations of the Idate Commission the Government of India constituted the Development and Welfare Board for DNTs, SNTs &NTs (DWBDNCs) in 2019.
  • A committee has also been set up by the NITI Aayog to complete the process of identification of the DeNotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DNCs).
  • Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED): The scheme was launched in 2022 for the welfare of Denotified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Communities.
  • Budget: The Ministry has allocated Rs. 200 crore for this scheme to be spent over five financial years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
  • Components: The four components of the Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs are;
  • To provide good quality coaching for DNT candidates to enable them to appear in competitive examinations;
  • To provide Health Insurance to them;
  • To facilitate livelihood initiatives at the community level; and
  • To provide financial assistance for the construction of houses for members of these communities.

Way Ahead

  • The colonial mindset about the Denotified Tribes having “criminal tendencies” needs to change to ensure their human rights are not violated.
  • Proper documentation of their identities needs to be speeded up so that they get the benefits of welfare schemes and the basic needs are provided to them.
  • The NHRC has suggested that there is a need to ensure representation of Denotified tribes in parliament, government institutions, and higher education to mitigate the challenges faced by them.
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India

–       The NHRC is a statutory public body constituted in 1993.

–       It is responsible for the protection and promotion of human rights, defined by the act as “Rights Relating to Life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the constitution or embodied in the international covenants and enforceable by courts in India