SRINAGAR: Nomadic tribal families in Jammu and Kashmir, grappling with issues of homelessness, landlessness, and lack of identification documents, face significant challenges in accessing key socio-economic schemes offered by the Government of India. This was highlighted in a response to a query in the Rajya Sabha on December 18, 2024, by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, shedding light on the difficulties these communities encounter and the steps being taken to address them.
According to the Ministry, eligibility for schemes such as the Scheme for Economic Empowerment of De-notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (SEED) requires a DNT (De-notified Tribes) certificate, which remains inaccessible to many due to procedural hurdles. The Government has issued advisories to states and Union Territories, including Jammu and Kashmir, to streamline the issuance of these certificates in a time-bound manner. Efforts are being made to ensure that all eligible families, even those without Aadhaar, are identified and included in welfare programmes through surveys and door-to-door verifications.
The Jammu and Kashmir Department of Tribal Affairs has reported initiatives such as setting up Aadhaar centres and Common Service Centres (CSCs) in tribal areas to help nomadic communities obtain essential documents. Additionally, identification documents like pasture passes, job cards, and labour cards are being considered valid for scheme registration wherever applicable. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, in coordination with the state government, has also organised Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) camps to assist tribal families in creating Aadhaar cards, opening Jandhan bank accounts, and preparing other mandatory documentation for welfare schemes.
These measures aim to include nomadic tribes in health, social welfare, and economic development schemes, ensuring that the benefits of these programmes reach even the most marginalised sections of society. However, the absence of detailed community-wise data on how these groups have benefitted poses challenges to monitoring and improving the effectiveness of these interventions.
As the Government works towards implementing these initiatives, addressing the structural barriers faced by nomadic tribes in accessing welfare schemes remains a critical priority for achieving inclusive development in Jammu and Kashmir.
