Parliament panel pitches for drive to issue caste certificates to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups

A parliamentary standing committee has asked the Tribal Affairs Ministry to issue directions to all states and union territories for starting a special drive to provide caste certificates to all Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

The committee said it was "particularly shocked" to know that some PVTGs do not have caste certificates, the basic document required for availing benefits of various welfare schemes meant for them.

In its report on the Demands for Grants of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for 2021-22, the Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment said the scheme of development of PVTGs is very significant for their protection and development.

"The Committee find from the details of state-wise funds released and utilised under the scheme that no funds were released in the year 2018-19 and 2019-20 for Bihar, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and UT of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The ministry attributed it to pendency of utilisation certificates and project progress reports against the earlier releases of funds under the scheme," according to the report.

The committee said the utilisation status was missing for 2020-21 for all states and UTs except the state of Telangana which has utilised the entire amount during the last three years.

"The Committee desire that the ministry should extend assistance to the state governments and NGOs/VOs (voluntary organisations) working under the scheme for timely and proper submission of utilisation certificates and physical progress report so that proper utilisation of funds could be ensured," it said.

The panel noted that the scheme has already been evaluated by an independent body and several important recommendations made.

The report flagged poor awareness about the Forest Rights Act-2006 among PVTGs, government schemes and programmes and other basic social entitlements, tuberculosis, typhoid, jaundice, malaria and sickle cell anaemia that have cost many lives of PVTGs.

Noting that poor access to public healthcare facilities makes the situation worse to check the spread of these diseases, it said poor literacy rate among the PVTGs due to poor access to primary and secondary schools is a major concern.

"Some of the PVTGs still do not have caste certificates, thus they are being deprived of the benefits offered by central and state governments and most of the states do not have micro-plan projects for PVTGs except Odisha and Madhya Pradesh," it said.

It said the ministry should formulate fresh guidelines based on the feedback from states/UTs covering all the above crucial issues and direct the state governments to follow guidelines in letter and spirit.

"The Committee are particularly shocked to know that some PVTGs do not have caste certificates, which is the basic document required for availing benefits under various welfare schemes meant for tribal people. The Committee recommend that the Ministry should issue directions to all the State Governments/UTs for starting a special drive to issue of caste certificates to all the PVTGs without further delay," it said.

The panel said that as the pandemic is under control, extra efforts should be made by the ministry to fill the gap due to non-implementation of schemes since the tribal population is most vulnerable and would be pushed deeper into poverty and isolation otherwise.