ST STATUS TO 6 ASSAM COMMUNITIES
From A Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 3: The Central government is currently awaiting the report from the committee, headed by the Home Minister, Government of India to look into the possibility of including six communities in Assam in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.
Speaking on the sidelines of a function, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs J Oram said, “This matter is currently under process and the committee headed by Home Minister is looking into it and the after the minister submits the report following proper examition, only then I can comment weather the six communities will be granted ST status or not.”
Informing that three months time has been given to the committee to examine the matter, he said, “I think it will be completed in the coming month and when the fil report comes, the Indian government interlly will discuss the matter and take a fil decision.”
“In my first term as Union Minister of Tribal Affair I have modified 270 communities in the country out of which 10 communities have been deleted from the ST list and 260 are included, rectified and minor correction had been done, However this time I can’t say how many communities will be included in the ST and how many will not be since asof right now everything is in the process.” Asked, on the demands to introduce Gorkha in the Schedule Tribe list, the Union Minister said, “On this a study is going and on one committee is still examining the matter and till date the committee has yet to submit a report on this.”