Call for increased budget and facilities for nomadic tribes

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Nomadic and Semi- Nomadic Tribes Federation has urged the government to allocate a higher budget and improve facilities for nomadic communities. K. Ravindra Shetty, the Federation’s Honorary President, emphasised the need for funding in the upcoming budget to provide basic amenities, housing, land, and free education for children from these marginalised groups. A formal request has been submitted to the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, and Minister for Backward Classes Welfare.

The federation demands ownership rights for families living in makeshift tents on government land, community halls in every district and taluk, and dedicated burial grounds. Additionally, they seek reservation benefits in CET and NEET exams for students from nomadic backgrounds and demand the formation of the Nomadic Tribes Commission. If these demands remain unfulfilled, the federation warns of large-scale protests representing 46 nomadic and seminomadic tribes in Karnataka.