Question : INCLUSION OF COMMUNITIES IN STS LIST

(a) whether the Government has received proposals for inclusion of various communities including Medara and Marati, etc. in the list of Scheduled Tribes from various State Governments including Karnataka, Kerala and Chhattisgarh;

(b)              if so, the number of communities included in the list of Scheduled Tribes during the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(c) whether a number of recommendations of eligibility for inclusion as Scheduled Tribes in the Scheduled Tribes List is still pending with the Government for approval;

(d) if so, the details and status thereof, State-wise; and

(e) the details of protection being given to these newly included Scheduled Tribes?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI MAHADEO SINGH KHANDELA)

(a): Yes, Madam.

(b): No community has been included in the list of Scheduled Tribes during last three years.

(c): Yes, Madam.

(d): In order to ensure that only genuine communities are included in the list of Scheduled Tribes, the Government on 15th June 1999 further amended on 25.6.2002 Government had laid down modalities for deciding claims for inclusion in, exclusion from and other modifications in the Orders specifying the lists of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. According to modalities, the concerned State Government recommends the proposal along with justification and forwards it to the Central Government. Thereafter, proposals received from State Government are sent to the Registrar General of India (RGI). The RGI, if satisfied with the recommendation of the State Government, recommends the proposal to the Central Government. Thereafter, Central Government refers the proposal to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes for their recommendation. After the National Commission for STs recommends it, the matter is processed for the decision of the Cabinet. According to the above procedure only those cases that have been agreed to by the concerned State Government, the Registrar General of India as well as National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) are considered for amending legislation. After the matter is decided by the Cabinet, a Bill is introduced in Parliament. In case a proposal is not supported by the RGI/NCST, it is referred back to the State Government for reviewing or further justifying their recommendation in the light of the observations of the RGI/NCST. The various proposals for inclusion in the list of Scheduled Tribes are at various stages as per procedure prescribed in the afore cited modalities.

(e): No community has been included in the list of Scheduled Tribes in the recent past.