The GTA along with Sikkim government is demanding tribal status to 11 communities – Bhujel, Gurung, Mangar, Newar, Jogi, Khas, Rai, Sunwar, Thami and Yakha Dewan from the hills – and the Dhimal community from the plains.
The Minister in turn assured the GJM team that the files are under process and have to be vetted from various departments – which will test if the proposed communities meet with requisite requirements for ST communities or not.
The Minister stated that once the communities are vetted and they are approved for ST status, and the file lands in his office, he will immediately sign it and issue the notification.
One cause of worry is that there are five criterion required to be fulfilled for getting an ST status, namely: primitive traits, distinctive culture, shyness of contact, geographical isolation and backwardness. The govt has recently reworked these to include socio-economic and educational backwardness, and autonomous religious practices.
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| Delegation led by GJM Chief Mr. Bimal Gurung yesterday met with Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Mr. Jual Oram |
Under the new rules, a state government would now send its proposal for inclusion of a community as ST to the ministry of tribal affairs, which would take the views of the Registrar General of India, Anthropological Society of India and the National Commission of Scheduled Tribes (NCST) simultaneously.
After getting approval from all these institutions, the file then reaches for approval to the committee of secretaries, headed by secretary of tribal affairs and including secretaries of social justice and empowerment, legal affairs, home ministry and culture. This committee would take a decision. If it accepts the state’s recommendation for inclusion of a community as ST, a Cabinet note would be prepared.
