'Maharashtra Will Work To Empower Nomadic And Denotified Communities,' Says Deputy CM Eknath Shinde At Mumbai Conference

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said efforts must be made to ensure that the nomadic and denotified communities are no longer identified by displacement and deprivation, but instead emerge as a “stable and worry-free society” with access to education, employment and basic amenities.

Rights And Development Conference Held

Shinde was speaking as the chief guest at the Nomadic and Denotified Communities Rights, Justice and Development Conference organised in Mumbai by the Akhil Bharatiya Shiv Bhatke-Vimukta Sena. The conference was organised by Maharashtra Minister for Soil and Water Conservation and national leader of the organisation, Sanjay Rathod.

Shinde said the state government would extend full support to bring nomadic and denotified communities into the mainstream and promote their economic, social and educational empowerment. Ensuring equal opportunities for members of these communities in all fields would remain a priority, he said.

Housing And Certificate Issues To Be Addressed

He said difficulties in obtaining caste certificates, lack of permanent housing and inadequate basic facilities would be addressed on priority. Government schemes implemented through various corporations would be taken directly to the last beneficiary to help members of the community become self-reliant.

Shinde said the problems faced by the 52 castes and communities among the nomadic and denotified groups had persisted for decades despite successive governments. He said the Shiv Sena and the Mahayuti government were committed to providing every family from these communities with a stable life and bringing them into the mainstream of development.

Traditional Arts To Get Global Platform

He also stressed the need to preserve the rich traditions, arts and cultural heritage of the communities. The Tourism Department would provide them with a wider platform to showcase their traditional art and culture, including efforts to take these art forms to a global audience. More opportunities in education and employment would also be created for young people from the communities, he said.

Rathod, the chief organiser of the conference, said the long-pending issues concerning the 52 communities needed to be addressed seriously. He said several traditional art forms and cultural practices were on the verge of disappearing and called for their preservation.

Demand For Housing And Representation

Rathod said the communities needed permanent settlements, housing, basic amenities and adequate political representation. He said efforts were being made to organise the community and take its concerns before the government, administration and wider society. He also pledged to consistently raise their issues at the highest levels of the country.

Rathod said the nomadic and denotified communities have a population of around 20 crore and possess the potential to influence the country’s politics, but stressed that greater unity and awareness of their rights were necessary. He said Shinde had instructed that a meeting of prominent representatives of the communities be convened soon.

Union Minister of State Prataprao Jadhav, state ministers Gulabrao Patil, Sanjay Shirsat and Shambhuraje Desai, MPs Jyoti Waghmare and Sanjay Deshmukh, writer and community scholar Laxman Gaikwad and DNT Federation national coordinator Digambar Rathod also addressed the conference.

Thousands of members of various nomadic and denotified communities from across Maharashtra attended the event at Shanmukhananda Hall in Sion. Participants arrived in traditional attire, accompanied by traditional musical instruments and performances, showcasing the diverse cultural heritage of the communities. A short film titled Shodh Bhakaricha was screened, while an information booklet on the communities was released by Deputy Chief Minister Shinde.

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