State forms dedicated corporation for nomadic communities

Mysuru: In what is likely to bolster the process of empowerment of nomadic communities, the Karnataka government has constituted a dedicated nomadic SC/ST development corporation for the development, which will function under the aegis of the social welfare department. Experts pointed out that the new corporation was a huge step towards ensuring the effective implementation of the many schemes rolled out by both the state and central governments for the welfare of the nomadic communities, categorised under the Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Communities.
The order by the state government issued on Saturday cites data from the 2011 census, according to which, nomadic communities categorised under the SC umbrella account for a population of more than 6.6 lakh, while those under the ST category number more than 3.2 lakh. The new board constituted by the state government will function along the lines of the Development and Welfare Board for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities of the central government. The new corporation will be geared towards empowering the nomadic communities in education, economic, and social sectors.
KM Metry, a professor in the department of tribal studies at Kannada University in Hampi, exuded confidence of the new board rendering the process of implementation of dedicated schemes for nomadic communities hassle-free. “This will also result in an increase in the corpus of funds being allocated towards the welfare of nomadic communities,” said Prof Metry.
He pointed out that a dedicated corporation had also been constituted towards ensuring the welfare of nomadic communities categorised under the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), which has resulted in schemes rolled out for their welfare being implemented effectively.
Vadiraj Samarasya, an activist, hoped that this would mark the beginning of the long-drawn process that would culminate with the integration of nomadic communities with the mainstream. “In neighbouring Maharashtra, nomadic communities are notified as a separate category, and provided 4% reservation. In Madhya Pradesh, a dedicated department exists to ensure the welfare of nomadic tribes,” he said.