National Foundation for Upliftment of Aadibasi/Janjati Act, 2002

What does it do?

• The Act sets up the National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities, an autonomous corporate body based in the Kathmandu Valley, for the social, educational, economic and cultural development of Adivasi/Janajati peoples and their equal participation in national development. 'Adivasi/Janajati' means a community listed in the Schedule that has its own mother tongue, traditional customs, distinct cultural identity, social structure and written or oral history; the government may amend the list on the Foundation's recommendation (the list now has 60 groups, one added by a Gazette notice of 2077-02-05).आदिवासी/जनजातिको सामाजिक, शैक्षिक, आर्थिक तथा सांस्कृतिक विकास र राष्ट्रिय विकासको मूल प्रवाहमा समान सहभागिताका लागि यो ऐनले काठमाडौँ उपत्यकामा केन्द्रीय कार्यालय रहने स्वशासित र सङ्गठित संस्थाका रूपमा आदिवासी/जनजाति उत्थान राष्ट्रिय प्रतिष्ठान स्थापना गरेको छ। आफ्नो मातृभाषा र परम्परागत रीतिरिवाज, छुट्टै सांस्कृतिक पहिचान, छुट्टै सामाजिक संरचना र लिखित वा अलिखित इतिहास भएका अनुसूचीमा उल्लिखित जाति वा समुदायलाई 'आदिवासी/जनजाति' भनिन्छ; प्रतिष्ठानको सिफारिसमा सरकारले अनुसूची हेरफेर गर्न सक्छ (अनुसूचीमा हाल ६० समुदाय छन्, जसमध्ये एउटा २०७७/०२/०५ को राजपत्र सूचनाबाट थपिएको हो)। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated text Sections 2(क), 3–5, PDF pp. 1–3; Section 25 and Schedule, PDF pp. 12–14
• The Foundation runs programmes to protect and promote Adivasi/Janajati languages, scripts, literature, history, arts, culture, traditional skills and technology — including protecting traditional knowledge as the community's intellectual property — and may publish dictionaries and histories, set up archives, museums and schools teaching in the mother tongue at least to primary level, run special programmes for poor and disadvantaged groups, arrange broadcasts in mother tongues, and prepare a list of better-off Adivasi/Janajati groups.प्रतिष्ठानले आदिवासी/जनजातिको भाषा, लिपि, साहित्य, इतिहास, कला, संस्कृति, परम्परागत सीप र प्रविधिको संरक्षण र प्रवर्धनका कार्यक्रम चलाउँछ — परम्परागत ज्ञानलाई सम्बन्धित समुदायको बौद्धिक सम्पत्तिका रूपमा संरक्षण गर्नेसमेत — र शब्दकोश तथा इतिहास प्रकाशन, अभिलेखालय, सङ्ग्रहालय र कम्तीमा प्राथमिक तहसम्म मातृभाषामा पढाउने विद्यालय स्थापना, विपन्न र पछाडि परेका समुदायका लागि विशेष कार्यक्रम, मातृभाषामा प्रसारणको व्यवस्था, र सम्पन्न आदिवासी/जनजातिको अनुसूची तयार गर्न सक्छ। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated text Section 6, PDF pp. 3–4
• A governing council chaired by the Prime Minister, with the local development minister as co-chair, a full-time vice-chair chosen from three Adivasi/Janajati nominees, ministry secretaries, one representative from each listed group (on the recommendation of the Adivasi/Janajati federation), two women from each province and two business people or donors, is the Foundation's top body. An executive committee led by the vice-chair runs it day to day. Its fund comes from government and other sources (foreign loans need government approval), it is audited by the Auditor General, and its regulations take effect only after government approval.प्रधानमन्त्रीको अध्यक्षतामा रहने सञ्चालक परिषद् प्रतिष्ठानको सर्वोच्च अङ्ग हो, जसमा स्थानीय विकास मन्त्री सहअध्यक्ष, तीन जना आदिवासी/जनजाति सिफारिसमध्येबाट मनोनीत पूर्णकालीन उपाध्यक्ष, मन्त्रालयका सचिवहरू, आदिवासी/जनजाति महासंघको सिफारिसमा अनुसूचीका प्रत्येक जातिबाट एक–एक जना, प्रत्येक प्रदेशबाट दुई–दुई जना महिला र दुई जना व्यापारी वा चन्दादाता रहन्छन्। उपाध्यक्षको अध्यक्षतामा रहने कार्यकारिणी समितिले दैनिक सञ्चालन गर्छ। प्रतिष्ठानको कोषमा सरकारी र अन्य स्रोतको रकम रहन्छ (विदेशी ऋण लिन सरकारको स्वीकृति चाहिन्छ), लेखापरीक्षण महालेखापरीक्षकबाट हुन्छ, र प्रतिष्ठानका विनियम सरकारबाट स्वीकृत भएपछि मात्र लागू हुन्छन्। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated text Sections 7, 9–10, 13, PDF pp. 5–9; Sections 16–17, 24, PDF pp. 9–12

Where does it conflict with other laws?

• आदिवासी जनजाति आयोग ऐन, २०७४
  The Auditor General found in two successive annual reports that the responsibilities given to the National Indigenous Nationalities Commission by its 2074 Act and those given to this Foundation by this Act overlap.आदिवासी जनजाति आयोग ऐन, २०७४ ले आयोगलाई सुम्पेको जिम्मेवारी र यस ऐनले आदिवासी जनजाति उत्थान राष्ट्रिय प्रतिष्ठानलाई तोकेका जिम्मेवारी एकआपसमा दोहोरिएको महालेखापरीक्षकले लगातार दुई वार्षिक प्रतिवेदनमा उल्लेख गरेको छ। Office of the Auditor General, Nepal · Office of the Auditor General, Nepal OAG 63rd report, National Indigenous Nationalities Commission para 2 (PDF p. 110, printed p. 78); OAG 62nd report, para 2 (PDF p. 105, printed p. 75)

Open questions for lawmakers

Research candidates on possible conflicts, gaps or loopholes involving this law. Not legal findings: each awaits qualified legal review.

• Indigenous Nationalities Commission and the National Foundation for Upliftment of Adivasi Janajati: overlapping mandates and two different legal definitions of 'Adivasi Janajati'