Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021

    0
    363

    In News

    • The Rajya Sabha passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021 which amends the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.

    About

    • The Bill seeks to amend the constitutional list of Scheduled Tribes as recommended by Arunachal Pradesh.
      • At present, there are 18 communities with their synonyms appearing in the illustrative list of Scheduled Tribes in respect of the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
    • The Bill removes the Abor tribe from the list of identified STs (Scheduled Tribes) in Arunachal Pradesh.
    • Further, it replaces certain STs with other tribes, as given in the below table.

    Original list

    Proposed changes under the Bill

    Abor

    Removed from the List

    Khampti

    Tai Khamti

    Mishmi, Idu, and Taroan

    Mishmi-Kaman (Miju Mishmi), Idu (Mishmi), and Taraon (Digaru Mishmi)

    Momba

    Monpa, Memba, Sartang, and Sajolang (Miji)

    Source: PRS

    • The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is funding the welfare of 10.45 crores of the Scheduled Tribes population according to Census, 2011.

    Scheduled Tribe

    • Article 366 of the Constitution: Such tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within such tribes or tribal communities as are deemed under article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the purposes of this Constitution.
    • Article 342: The President may with respect to any State or Union territory, and where it is a State, after consultation with the Governor thereof, by public notification, specify the tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within tribes or tribal communities which shall for the purposes of this Constitution be deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in relation to that State or Union territory, as the case may be.
    • Criteria: The Constitution is silent about the criteria for the specification of a community as a Scheduled Tribe. Primitiveness, geographical isolation, shyness and social, educational & economic backwardness are the traits that distinguish Scheduled Tribe communities from other communities.
    • There are certain Scheduled Tribes, 75 in number known as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), who are characterised by:- a) pre-agriculture level of technology; b) stagnant or declining population; c) extremely low literacy, and d) subsistence level of the economy.

    Government Initiatives

    • Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA)
    • Provision of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996
    • Minor Forest Produce Act 2005 
    • SC And ST (Prevention Of Atrocities) Act
    • Tribal Sub-Plan Strategy is focused on the socio-economic empowerment of STs
    • Tribal Health & Nutrition Portal – ‘Swasthya’

    Source: HT

    RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR