CM sets up panel for denotified tribes

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Panipat, August 30

To bring the members of Vimukt, Ghumantu, Ardh-Ghumantu and Tapriwas Jan-Jati (denotified tribes) into the mainstream, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today announced to set up a special board named ‘Vimukt Ghumantu Jati Vikas Board’ soon.

Apart from this, Khattar also announced to abolish the Habitual Offenders Act in the state as no action would be taken against the members belonging to DNTs under the Act.

The board would comprise representatives of both the government and the community. An advisory committee would also be constituted which would conduct survey to ascertain the number of people belonging to denotified tribes living in different parts of the state and on the basis of this survey they would be made available housing facilities under various schemes of the Housing Department.

While addressing the gathering at a state-level “Mukti Divas Samaroh-2015” organised by Haryana Vimukt, Ghumantu, Ardh-Ghumantu and Tapriwas Jan-Jati Kalyan Sangh here at the Grain Market, the CM also declared hostels for students would be constructed in the state wherever required by the community, besides making available plots for the construction of community centres as per the demand.

Khattar said the nomads would get the maximum benefit of the scheme ‘housing for all’ as announced by Prime Minister Narender Modi.

At present in Haryana, the castes included in the list of denotified tribes are Bawaria, Sanshi, Bajigar (Banjara), Spela (Nath), Hedi (Nayak), Deha, Odh, Sikligarh, Gadia Lohar, Doom/Mirasi, Singikat, Jogi, Nut, Bhatt, Sorgar/Shergar, Palgadaria and Ram Sik.

Khattar said as per the changing time they should settle permanently instead of moving from one place to another. He assured all support and cooperation of the state government for the same.

MP Ashwini Chopra said that it was a matter of pride for everyone that members belonging to denotified tribes have self-respect as they always believe in hard work and never beg. “Being a Member of Parliament his doors are always open for them,” he said.

Finance Minister Capt. Abhimanyu said the previous government always misled the people belonging to this community on the promise of eradicating poverty, but in reality poverty and unemployment remained at the higher side during their tenure.

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Kavita Jain said there were many castes in the state that were still fighting for their rights even after several years of independence.

She urged the people to lay special emphasis to provide quality education to their wards and also be united as with the combination of both these aspects nobody could restrain them from marching ahead on the path of development.