At Chintan Shivir, DNT enumeration in Census discussed, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• The Social Justice Ministry concluded a three-day Chintan Shivir focused on the inclusion of Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs) in the Census 2027.
• The Supreme Court recently dismissed a petition seeking a separate Census question and classification for DNTs, but allowed them to engage with the government.

Detailed Insights:

• DNTs have been demanding a separate Schedule, similar to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), to ensure focused welfare measures.
• The Social Justice Ministry aims to improve the accessibility and implementation of social justice delivery through collaborative discussions between the Centre, States, and Union Territories.
• A key obstacle in DNT welfare is the failure of State and Union Territory governments to provide DNT community certificates, which restricts their access to various schemes.
• The Chintan Shivir also covered scholarship schemes for SC and OBC students, support for transgender people, and aligning schemes with the parliamentary amendments of 2026.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Denotified Tribes: Communities initially listed as criminal tribes under British rule, later denotified after independence.
• Nomadic Tribes: Communities that move from place to place in search of livelihood.
• Scheduled Castes (SCs): Socially disadvantaged groups recognized by the Indian Constitution needing special protection.