GOVERNMENT TO SET UP TWO
NATIONAL COMMISSIONS TO PROMOTE SOCIAL JUSTICE
BACKGROUNDER
The Ministry of Social
Justice and Empowerment has decided to set up two new National
Commissions in pursuance of the announcement made by the Prime
Minister on the Independence Day to speed up the goal of achieving
an equitable and inclusive society.
One of the Commissions
would be set up to study the problems of Denotified communities
and Nomadic and Semi-nomadic communities in order to bring them
into the mainstream of national life. The National Commission
to Review the Working of the Constitution in its report has observed
that, "The Denotified tribes/ communities have been wrongly stigmatized
as crime prone and subjected to highhanded treatment as well as
exploitation by the representatives of law and order as well as
by the general society. Some of them are included in the list
of Scheduled Tribes and others are in the list of Scheduled Castes
and list of backward classes. The special approach to their development
has been delineated and emphasized in the Reports of the Working
Groups for the Development of Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes
and Backward Classes in successive Plans and also in the Annual
Reports of the Commissioners for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes, National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes and the National Commission for Backward Classes. There
are also special reports available on denotified tribes……The Ministry
of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs
should collate all these materials and recommendations contained
in the report of the working groups and the reports of the National
Commissions and other reports referred to and strengthen the programmes
for the socio-economic development, educational development, generation
of employment opportunities, social liberation and full rehabilitation
of denotified tribes".
Keeping in view these
observations the government has decided to set up the National
Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and semi-Nomadic ‘Tribes’.
The Commission would identify these communities, study their problems
and recommend to the Central Government specific interventions
required for their overall developmental aspects and make any
other recommendations, which it may consider necessary.
As regards Nomadic
and Semi-Nomadic communities, Nomadism is taken as a way of life.
Illustrations of shepherds in the higher elevations of Himalayas,
moving in search of fresh pastures and to escape the rigours of
climate, khanabadoshes (wandering tribes), Koravans, the most
numerous of Khanabadoshes, Gadia Lohar, Gujjars, Kalbelia Jogis,
Kanjars, Sansis etc. have been cited. The Advisory Committee on
the Revision of the Lists of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes-
1965 (Lokur Committee) observed, "We are inclined to feel that
it would be in the best interest of these communities if they
are taken out from the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes and treated exclusively as a distinctive group, with development
schemes specially designed to suit their dominant characteristics".
Presently a few of
the Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-nomadic ‘Tribes’ have been specified
as Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribes and almost all the remaining
communities have been specified by respective State Governments/
Union Territory Administrations as Other Backward Classes. There
may be a few Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic ‘Tribes’ who
are not placed in any of these categories. Some of them would
also be in the central list of Other Backward Classes. The National
Commission would identify them, study their socio-economic and
educational needs and recommend to the government specific interventions
for their overall development.
The other Commission
would be known as the Commission for Persons with Disabilities.
It would give recommendations on issues relating to persons with
disability and review and make recommendations regarding institutions
working in the field of rehabilitation.
The rehabilitation
of the disabled persons is an enormous challenge in view of the
size of the population of the persons with disabilities. According
to 1990-91 census about 2% people suffer from physical or sensory
disabilities. Yet another survey has indicated that 2 to 3% children
upto 14 years of age suffer from delayed mental development. While
the number of persons with disabilities as per 2001 census is
awaited, it is estimated that 4 to 5 percent of the country’s
population suffers from the disabilities.
The large number
of disabilities makes it imperative that the society and the state
face the challenge of their integration and rehabilitation in
full measure. The Government is confident that the Commission
will provide a powerful mechanism to promote the interests of
the persons with disabilities and their families. It will be a
permanent body, which will help, and advice the Centre and the
State Governments on issues connected with disabilities. It will
also make recommendations and give suggestions on the rehabilitation
service. The Commission will review the programmes for education,
vocational training, poverty elevation, employment and other services
for the disabled and recommends improvement in them.
