(a) the number of castes included in the Central list of Scheduled Castes by the Presidential order since 1990 to till date;
(b) the total number of requests received from various States for inclusion from 1990 to till date; and
(c) the response of the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI VIJAY SAMPLA)
(a) : Six Presidential Orders, in terms of Clause (1) of Article 341 of the Constitution, have been issued specifying Scheduled Castes in relation to various States and Union Territories. Last such Order i.e. The Constitution (Sikkim) Scheduled Castes Order 1978 was issued on 22-6-1978. Thereafter, no Presidential Order has been issued in this regard. Any amendment in the list, so notified under a Presidential Order, can be made only by an Act of Parliament as laid down in Clause (2) of Article 341.
(b) and (c): Government have laid down Modalities in June 1999, amended in 2002, for deciding claims for inclusion in and -exclusion from the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. After approval of the Modalities, 109 proposals have been received for inclusion of castes/communities in the list of Scheduled Castes. All the proposals have been processed as per approved Modalities.