In a bid to woo voters from marginalised communities usually ignored by most political parties in poll-bound Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is trying to reach out to the lower castes and communities by forming separate welfare boards for them.
Of the 10 welfare and development boards announced in the last few months by the Ashok Gehlot government, eight of them are caste and community-based.
The welfare boards constituted by Gehlot has focussed on the marginalised castes and communities including washermen, barbers, silversmiths, gardeners or even folk artists.
These castes and communities are already a part of the reserved Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe or OBC categories and are availing the reservation benefits. By announcing separate boards, the Chief Minister is promising them further benefits for their specific needs.
For instance, the Rajasthan State Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Board will ensure the social and educational upliftment of people like Kachhis, Kushwahas, Malis, Sainis, while the Rajasthan State Dhobi Welfare Board has been constituted with the objective to provide basic facilities to the washermen community.
With the constitution of Rajasthan Leather Crafts Development Board, the standard of living of the people in the leather business will improve and their economic development will be ensured, the government said.
Political analysts say that the government takes such steps to constitute bodies, which are area or community specific, ahead of polls.
The boards announced are:
- Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Board which will work towards the welfare of Kachhi, Kushwaha, Mali, Saini communities.
- Rajasthan Leather Crafts Development Board which will work towards the welfare of leather artisans and other communities associated with this work.
- Rajasthan State Rajak (Dhobi) Welfare Board which will work towards the welfare of people and castes doing the work of washermen.
- Rajasthan State Swarna Rajat Kala Vikas Board which will work towards the welfare of the development of people and castes working as silversmiths.
- Folk Art Development Board which will work towards the welfare of the communities performing as folk artists.
- Veer Shiromani Maharana Pratap Board was formed after demands were raised for such a board by the Rajput community on the occasion of Maharana Pratap’s birth anniversary.
- Veer Tejaji Board was formed after demands were raised for such a board by the Jat community.
- Shrikrishna Board was formed after demands were raised for such a board by the Yadav community.
- Braj Kshetra Religious Development Board was formed for taking the cultural and religious identity of Braj Kshetra i.e. Bharatpur and Karauli districts to the international level.
- Thar Area Development Board was formed for the recognition of Churu, Hanumangarh, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Barmer districts at the global level for the promotion of tourism etc.
