State plans ₹1 land for Dhangars, other NT communities

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government will allot land at a nominal price of ₹1 to ensure permanent rehabilitation of Nomadic Tribe communities

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government will allot land at a nominal price of ₹1 to ensure permanent rehabilitation of Nomadic Tribe communities. While making the announcement, the state revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule directed officials to prepare proposals immediately and place them before the state cabinet for approval.

He also set October 29 as the deadline for submitting proposals identifying locations where land needs to be earmarked for rehabilitation and the development of new settlements.

The move has political significance as both the Dhangars and Vanjaris, among others, are prominent Nomadic Tribe (NT) communities in the state. For a long time, the Dhangars have also been demanding Scheduled Tribes (ST) status which, if granted, would double their reservation quota from 3.5% to 7%.

On Wednesday, the seventh meeting of the cabinet sub-committee overseeing the social, educational and economic development of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Vimukta Jatis and Nomadic Tribes (VJNT), and Special Backward Classes (SBCs), was held at the Sahyadri guest house during which the decision was taken to provide land to Nomadic Tribe communities for ₹1.

“The land allotment initiative is aimed at shifting vulnerable nomadic and denotified communities from temporary settlements and makeshift encampments to permanent housing and planned settlements,” Bawankule said.

He also directed officials to ensure that people living in such settlements are issued caste certificates and other documents crucial for accessing government welfare schemes and other benefits.

State forest minister Ganesh Naik, also a member of the panel, highlighted the difficulties faced by communities dependent on livestock, particularly during droughts, when fodder becomes scarce. He suggested drone surveys to assess fodder availability and arranging supplies using funds from the District Planning and Development Committee (DPDC).

Naik also called for urgent steps to address a 9% recruitment backlog and reduce the economic disparities affecting these communities.

The meeting also saw senior OBC leader and food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal raise concerns over the disparity in funding between institutions established to support backward communities. He pointed out that Sarathi, established for Maratha students, receives an allocation of ₹1,484 crore, while Mahajyoti has been allocated ₹288 crore.

Mahajyoti’s beneficiaries comprise 59% OBC students, 10% from Vimukta Jatis (VJ), 25% from Nomadic Tribes (NT) belonging to groups B, C and D, and 6% from the Special Backward Class (SBC).