**Policy Summary: Economic Empowerment of Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNT/NT/SNT) in India**
This document summarizes the Indian government's efforts to economically empower Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNT/NT/SNT) through the Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED) and related initiatives. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing this policy.
**Key Components of the SEED Scheme:**
* **Educational Empowerment:** Financial assistance for free coaching to enable DNT/NT/SNT individuals to gain admission to reputable institutions and secure employment in the public and private sectors. In Rajasthan, 23 DNT students have received free coaching.
* **Health:** Distribution of Ayushman Cards among DNT/NT/SNT communities.
* **Livelihoods:** Formation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) within DNT/NT/SNT clusters to improve their economic condition. In Rajasthan, 793 SHGs have been formed, encompassing 8,723 members.
* **Land and Housing:** Facilitation of access to housing for DNT/NT/SNT communities under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Grameen and Urban) and other relevant government schemes.
**National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) and SHGs:**
* Across eight states, 3,438 SHGs have been formed, exclusively for DNT/NT/SNT communities, comprising 46,067 members. Rajasthan accounts for 793 of these SHGs, with 8,723 members.
* The NRLM does not maintain segregated data on DNT/NT/SNT individuals within SHGs at the national level.
**Community Engagement Mechanisms:**
* The Ministry has established the Development and Welfare Board for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC).
* The Board engages with communities through the National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC), the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC), and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as partner agencies.
Key Entities Referenced
Scheme for Economic Empowerment of Denotified SEED, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Tribes: A scheme by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to facilitate economic empowerment at the grassroots level for DNTNTSNT communities.
Rajasthan: A state in India, specifically mentioned in the context of beneficiaries and activities undertaken under the SEED scheme and the National Rural Livelihoods Mission.
Self Help Groups SHGs: Groups formed under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission and other schemes to enhance rural livelihoods of DNT communities.
National Rural Livelihoods Mission NRLM: A national mission focused on enhancing rural livelihoods, mentioned in the context of its activities related to DNT communities.
SHRI B.L. VERMA: Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment.
Ayushman Cards: Cards being distributed among DNT communities to improve Health.
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Grameen: A government scheme to provide houses to DNT communities.
Development and Welfare Board for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Communities DWBDNC: A board constituted by the Ministry for the development and welfare of Denotified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Communities.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
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MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.337
TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2025
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF DNT/NT/SNT COMMUNITIES
337. SHRI P P CHAUDHARY:
Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Scheme for Economic Empowerment of Denotified (SEED), Nomadic and Semi-
Nomadic Tribes is facilitating economic empowerment at the grassroots level for DNT/NT/SNT
communities;
(b) if so, the details thereof, including the number of beneficiaries and activities undertaken
under the scheme, in Rajasthan;
(c) the details of the progress made in enhancing rural livelihoods of DNT communities through
Self Help Groups (SHGs) under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), particularly in
Rajasthan; and
(d) the details of mechanisms that have been instituted for direct community engagement and
feedback at the local level?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI B.L. VERMA)
(a) & (b): The Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED) empowers the DNT
communities including State of Rajasthan through:
(i) 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.
(ii) Health: Ayushman Cards are being distributed among DNT communities.
(iii) Livelihoods: SHGs have been formed in DNT clusters to enable them improve their
economic condition.
(iv) Land and Housing: Facilitates to provide houses to DNT communities under Pradhan Mantri
Awas Yojana (Grameen and Urban), other government schemes.
So far, in Rajasthan under free coaching component, 23 DNT students have been given free
coaching; and under livelihood component, 793 Self Help Groups (SHGs) have been formed
with 8,723 members.(c): 3,438 Self Help Groups (SHGs) having 46,067 members exclusively of De-notified,
Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Communities have been formed in eight States including 793 Self
Help Groups (SHGs) benefiting 8,723 members of Rajasthan.
National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) does not maintain any segregated information of
DNT people into SHGs at the national level.
(d): 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.
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