'SC-ST Act to be extended to nomadic tribes'

A high-level government panel has recommended extension of provisions of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to the denotified, nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes.

A high-level government panel has recommended extension of provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to the denotified, nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes.

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The National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and semi-Nomadic Tribes (NCDNST), entrusted to study the socio- economic conditions of the tribal community and recommend measures for their all-round uplift, presented a copy of its final report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on August 20.

The report asked to process the recommendations urgently for a final decision and its early implementation.

While presenting the copy of the report, chairman of the Commission Balkrishna Sriram Renke briefly apprised the prime minister about the recommendations, which included suggestions for initiation of special housing scheme, education and skill development programmes for the tribes.

It was also recommended to create a permanent Commission for denotified nomadic tribes on the lines of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, besides providing reservations to them, sources in NCDNST said.

"Although the Criminal Tribes Act 1871, consolidated by Britishers to notify certain tribes as 'born criminals' during the colonial rule was repealed after Independence, the tribes continue to be victims of the stigma," a senior official of the NCDNST said.