The Ministry has launched the ‘Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED)’ for empowerment of the DNT communities through

1. Educational Empowerment by giving them financial assistance for free coaching which will enable them getting admission in good institutes/employment in public and private sector;
2. Health: Ayushman Cards are being distributed among DNT communities;
3. Livelihoods: SHGs have been formed in DNT clusters to enable them improve their economic condition;
4. Land and Housing: Facilitates to provide houses to DNT communities under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Grameen and Urban), other government schemes.

So far 3,438 Self Help Groups (SHGs) having 46,067 members exclusively of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Communities have been formed. Further, National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) does not maintain any segregated information of DNT people into SHGs at the national level.

The Ministry has constituted Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC) for development and welfare of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Communities.

Two Corporations namely, National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC) and National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) and Non- Government Organizations have been engaged as Partner Agencies by the Board for direct community engagement of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic communities.

This information was provided by UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT, SHRI B.L. VERMA, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

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VM

(Rajya Sabha US Q408)

(Release ID: 2147213)