(a) whether the Government have formulated any policy to include scheduled castes in
the list of scheduled tribes;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether some of the scheduled castes have been included in the list of scheduled
tribes recently; and
(d) if so, the State-wise details thereof alongwith the reasons for non-inclusion of
Kol caste in the list at scheduled tribes which is in large number in Sonbhadra-Mirzapur
district of Uttar Pradesh?
THE MINISTER OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI JUALORAM):
(a) No, Sir.
(b) Does not arise.
(c) and (d) Twelve communities namely Karimpalan and Mavilan of Kerala and Agriya, Baiga,
Bhuiya, Chero, Gond,Kharwar, Pankha, Parahiya, Patari and Sahartya of Uttar Pradesh, were
transferred from the list of Scheduled Castes to that of Scheduled Tribes vide the Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 2002 as they fulfilled the necessary
criteria to be classified as Scheduled Tribes. The Kol community of Uttar Pradesh, as per
the approved modalities for deciding such cases, has not yet become eligible for inclusion
in the list of Scheduled Tribes.