DHANGARS COMMUNITY (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Indian Society)

Context: The Dhangar community, a pastoral and nomadic tribal group in Maharashtra, has intensified their efforts to reclaim traditional grazing lands amid growing concerns about the shrinking spaces for their sheep and goats.

Dhangars Community

• About: The Dhangars are shepherds who live mostly in Western Maharashtra and Marathwada.
• Population: The Dhangar community is estimated to be around 1 crore, which is about 9% of Maharashtra’s roughly 11.25 crore population.
• Current Classification: The Dhangars are currently on Maharashtra’s list of Vimukta Jati and Nomadic Tribes (VJNT).
• Demand for ST Status: They have been demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for several decades.
• Similar with: Dhangar leaders claim their community in Maharashtra is the same as the one identified as “Dhangad” elsewhere in the country, which is listed as a Scheduled Tribe.
• Nomadic Tribes: These are some of the most interesting communities in the world. They don't belong to one particular region, in fact, they are spread across the world. The nomadic tribes are diverse, each with its unique culture and traditions.

Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006

• Recognition of Rights: The FRA acknowledges the rights of forest-dwelling tribal communities to forest resources for livelihood, habitation, and socio-cultural needs, addressing the historical neglect of their traditional relationship with forests.
• Scope of Rights: The Act covers individual rights to self-cultivation and habitation, community rights such as grazing and fishing, habitat rights for particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs), and rights to access traditional resources and biodiversity.
• Role of Gram Sabha: The Act empowers the Gram Sabha to oversee conservation and protection of biodiversity, forests, and water sources, and to influence local policies affecting forest dwellers.
• Objective: The FRA aims to rectify historical injustices, ensure land tenure and livelihood security for forest-dwelling communities, and strengthen forest conservation by involving these communities in sustainable management and ecological balance.