The Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday gave approval for a new framework to ensure denotified and nomadic tribes (DNTs) can access government schemes and welfare programmes more effectively.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, focused on simplifying procedures for issuing identity documents, caste certificates, and scheme-related documentation for these communities.
According to the officials, the move comes as part of the state government’s efforts to enhance governance and extend welfare benefits to historically marginalised groups.
Certain tribes were declared criminal by the British in 1871, a classification repealed after Independence in 1952.
These communities were thereafter recognised as denotified tribes, while nomadic tribes traditionally maintain a migratory lifestyle, making it challenging for them to access government benefits.
Under the revised system, caste certificates will be issued only after verification by competent authorities, including Tehsildars and District Officers, and following local inquiries to prevent misuse.
Special camps will be organised in rural and urban areas to issue documents and provide access to key welfare schemes.
These include the Shravanbal Assistance Scheme, Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana, Ladki Bahin Scheme, Skill Development and Self-Employment Programmes, Scholarship Schemes, Ayushman Bharat, PM Jan Arogya Yojana, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, PM Kisan, and other initiatives.
To ensure effective implementation, committees will be established at the state, district, and taluka levels.
Additionally, an annual awards programme will recognise villages, talukas, municipalities, and districts demonstrating exemplary work in extending benefits.
Officials said the framework will not only simplify access to welfare schemes but also ensure transparency, prevent misuse of documents, and provide social and economic support to the state’s most marginalised communities.
