Question : Inclusion in ST Lists

(a) the details of guidelines of the Central Government for inclusion of any community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list;

(b) whether the Union Government has received any proposals from various State Governments including Odisha for inclusion of various communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs);

(c) if so, the details thereof along with the names of communities included in the list of STs and details of communities that have been removed or shifted from ST status during the last three years and the current year;

(d) whether a number of recommendations for inclusion of tribes in the list of Scheduled Tribes are still pending with the Government for approval; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the present status thereof, State/UT-wise?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA)

(a): The criteria being followed for inclusion of community in the list of Scheduled Tribes are: (a) Indications of primitive traits; (b) Distinctive culture; (c) Geographical isolation; (d) Shyness of contact with community at large; and (e) Backwardness.

The Government of India on 15.6.1999 (further amended on 25.6.2002), has laid down the modalities for determining the claims for inclusion in, exclusion from and other modifications in the Orders specifying list of Scheduled Tribes. According to these modalities, only those proposal which have been recommended and justified by the concerned State Government/ Union Territory Administration and concurred with by the Registrar General of India (RGI) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes are to be considered for amendment of legislation.

(b): A Statement indicating Sate/UT wise number of proposals for inclusion of communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes received in the last three years and the current year (2012-2015) is at Annexure-I.

(c): Yes Madam. The communities substituted/included in the list of Scheduled Tribes of the State during last three years and the current year (2012-2015) is annexed at Annexure-II.

(d) & (e): A statement showing the list of communities recommended by all three agencies i.e. State Government, Registrar General of India (RGI) and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) for inclusion in list of Scheduled Tribes is at Annexure-III. Proposal for streamlining of procedure and revision of criteria is under consideration of the Government. After the approval of the Cabinet all the recommended cases shall be processed for amending the legislation.

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