Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal on Sunday announced a host of incentives, including the facility of permanent houses, ration card, voter card and aadhaar card, for nomadic people to bring the Vimukt, Ghumantu, Ardh-Ghumantu and Tapriwas caste people into the mainstream.
Making the announcement at the 66th State level Vimukti Diwas programme, organised in Fatehabad, the Chief Minister said the post of “Antodaya Officer” would be created in all tehsils to ensure that the benefits of various welfare schemes and programmes reached them.
Manohar lal said, based on primary survey, all the 9,920 nomadic familes would be given the facility of permanent housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. For this, maximum amount would be paid by the state government and the beneficiaries would have to pay very little, that too, in monthly installments.
These houses would be given on priority basis. The housing board has launched a scheme to construct 30,000 houses in the next two years. Such nomadic families as have annual income of less than Rs 1 lakh, would be eligible to take benefit of the scheme, he said.
The Chief Minister said that Jogi, Jangam, Raibari, Bhat, Maniyar and Banajra people would be included in the Tapriwas list. A recommendation to this effect is being sent to the Centre.
Besides, steps would be taken to implement the CRRID report for bringing Gadia lohar, Shorgar and Singikar, already included in the list of backward classes, in the Scheduled Castes category, said he.
Manohar lal said special camps would be organised in the areas inhabited by nomadic people to give them the facility of voter cards, aadhaar cards and ration cards so that they could avail themselves of the facility of free gas connection.
He announced the construction of permanent hostels for the students belonging to nomads in Jind, Hisar, Karnal and Fatehabad districts, and said that they would be provided 25 per cent reservation in other hostels meant for Scheduled Castes and Backwad Classes to enable them to get higher studies while being lodged in hostel.
Responding to the demand for providing space for constructing a building for nomads at Panchkula, Manohar lal said that HUDA would be asked to give a plot at reasonable rates for the stay of nomadic people.
On the basis of the census survey in state, to be conducted from October to December, caste-based survey would also be conducted for social, economic, educational development of all castes, including nomads. Apart from this, roads and chowks would be named after dignitaries belonging to nomads provided proposals are sent to the department concerned through Vimukt Ghumantu Jati Vikas Board, he said.
Describing himself as akin to nomadic people, the Chief Minister said since he had visited the entire state and country since 1980 to serve the masses, he could easily understand their problems and pain.
First, the state government constituted Vimukt Ghumantu Jati Vikas Board. later, an advisory committee was set up to provide permanent settlement to the shelterless nomadic people. It has already submitted its report. Many recommendations require Constitutional amendment which can be done by the Centre. All issues related to the state government would be dealt with promptly to ameliorate their socio-economic status, he added.
The Chief Minister also listed various schemes meant for the welfare of people belonging to SCs and BCs, including the Vivah Shagun Yojana, Mukhyamantri Samajik Samarsta Antarjatiya Vivah Yojna and Post Matric Scholarship scheme and urged the nomadic people to take benefit of such schemes.
The government would provide all kind of information to them through the office of District Social Welfare Officer. Prior to 2016, as many as 11 castes were included in Tapriwas. We have got included Gadia lohar into this category, added he.
In the birth centenary year of Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, the government would ensure that nomadic people have the first right over various welfare schemes and programmes to be framed and implemented in the state, the Chief Minister said.
Speaking on the occasion, Finance Minister, Capt. Abhimanyu said that present government is working for their welfare in real terms. He urged people to educate their wards so that their next generations could live a respectful life. The government would provide all kind of support for this purpose, added he.