SEED scheme (Governance)
SEED scheme (Governance)
Why In News:
Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED) scheme covered over 1.10 lakh beneficiaries from De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic communities in 2025-26.
Scheme Details
It is a Central Sector Scheme launched in February 2022 by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment to promote economic empowerment of DNT, NT and SNT communities.
The scheme has a ₹200 crore outlay for five years (from 2021–22) and is implemented by DWBDNC(Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities) via an online portal for registration and monitoring.
Key components include:
Free coaching for competitive and professional courses
Health insurance coverage under PM-JAY
Livelihood support for income generation
Housing assistance through schemes like PMAY
Background: Who are DNTs, NTs and SNTs?
De-notified Tribes (DNTs) are communities earlier classified as “criminal tribes” under the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 by the British.
The Act was repealed in 1952, leading to their de-notification and formal removal from such classification.
Some of these groups were also nomadic or semi-nomadic, characterised by mobility rather than permanent settlement.
While many DNTs fall under SC, ST, or OBC categories, a section still remains outside any formal reservation framework.
Distribution:
India has ~150 Denotified Tribes and ~500 nomadic/semi-nomadic communities, constituting nearly 10% of the population.
Challenges:
Committees like Kaka Kalelkar Commission, Mandal Commission, and NCRWC have highlighted their historical marginalisation, social stigma, exclusion, and need for targeted welfare interventions.