Page 2 - Scheduled Tribes

Chandra Shekhar Azad introduces bill asking pvt sector quota for SC,ST,OBC

Lok Sabha MP Chandra Shekhar Azad on Friday introduced a private member bill in Lok Sabha seeking reservation for the SCs, STs, and the OBCs in private sector, educational institutions, and other establishments that employ at least 20 people and have no government financial interest. The bill seeks to extend reservation benefits, currently meant only for public sector, to the private sector. The bill was formally titled the Reservation for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes in Private Sector Act, 2024. Under the proposed legislation, the Central government must incentivise private sector entities to implement reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs through special concessions and facilitate lower interest loans through nationalised banks. The bill also seeks presentation of an annual report detailing the actions taken under the Act in both houses of Parliament. The Central government will be mandated to create rules to ensure the effective ...

MP minister threatens to quit after forest portfolio given to Cong turncoat

Madhya Pradesh Scheduled Caste Welfare Minister Nagar Singh Chouhan on Monday threatened to resign from his post after he was divested of the Forest and Environment portfolio, which has been allocated to new inductee and Congress turncoat Ramniwas Rawat. Chouhan said his wife Anita Singh Chouhan would also quit as Ratlam MP if BJP organisational leaders failed to respond "positively" to his concerns. The Forest and Environment Ministry held by Nagar was allocated to Rawat on Sunday. "My voice was not heard. I will first talk to organisational leaders and decide the next step. I will decide in a day or two after talking to the party organisation. If I feel I should not stay on the post, I will resign along with my wife Anita," Chouhan, a prominent tribal leader, told PTI over the phone. He said tribals form 23 per cent of the population in Madhya Pradesh. "This is the first time tribals have been given leadership, but now the Forest Department, which is closely associated with ...

Narendra Modi returns as PM for third straight term, equals Nehru's record

I look forward to serving 1.4 bn Indians and working with the Council of Ministers to take India to new heights of progress, says PM Narendra Modi

India's consumption story is yet to address the caste discrimination issue

Ages-old bias could also be affecting what traditionally deprived communities earn

Mayawati role model for entire Bahujan community, says Akash Anand

Divested of responsibilities as the BSP's national coordinator, Akash Anand on Thursday said he fully respects the decision of his aunt and party president Mayawati whom he described as a role model for the entire Bahujan community He also said that he will continue to fight for the Bhim Mission till his last breath "You (Mayawati) are a role model for the entire Bahujan community, crores of countrymen worship you. It is because of your struggles that today our society has got such political strength due to which the Bahujan community has learned to live with respect," Anand said in a post on X. "You are our universal leader. Totally respect your order.I will keep fighting till my last breath for Bhim Mission and my society," he said. His remarks come after former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati decided on Tuesday night to divest him of his responsibilities as the party's national coordinator and her "successor", barely five months after she had anointed him. Mayawati had sh

Grievances of non-Bodo voters over land rights hold key in Kokrajhar seat

The brewing discontent over the absence of land rights and Scheduled Tribe (ST) status among non-Bodo voters could significantly sway the outcome in the Kokrajhar Lok Sabha constituency, situated within Assam's Bodoland Territorial Region. Despite being represented by Naba Kumar Sarania of the Gana Suraksha Party, the first non-Bodo MP from Kokrajhar, for two consecutive terms, these unmet demands of non-Bodo voters may affect his party's poll fortune in the elections. Sarania's nomination was rejected this time due to the cancellation of his ST status by the state government, a decision upheld by the Gauhati High Court. His Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) fielded Binita Deka as an alternative arrangement. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is vying to capitalise on absence of a 'strong' GSP candidate by projecting itself as the 'alternative', though the ruling force in BTR, United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), and chief opposition Bodoland People's Front (BPF) asserted that they enjoy the ..

Congress, JMM, RJD want to rob reservation of tribals, OBCs: PM Modi

The Prime Minister asserted that he would not allow any party to tamper with the Constitution

PM Modi's victory essential to ensure prosperity of tribals: Tripura CM

Dr Saha said this at a large election rally held in Kanchanpur of the North district in support of BJP candidate Kriti Singh Debbarma

Previous govts cheated SC, ST, OBC in name of social justice: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused previous governments of cheating SC, ST and OBC communities in the name of social justice, and said he was working to fulfil the dreams of Jyotiba Phule, Dr BR Ambedkar and Chaudhary Charan Singh. Modi was addressing a poll rally here in support of the BJP candidate from the Amroha Lok Sabha constituency Kanwar Singh Tanwar. "Previous governments have only cheated people of SC, ST and OBC communities in the name of social justice," he said. "Modi is working day and night to fulfil the social justice dream of Jyotiba Phule, Ambedkar and Chaudhary Charan Singh," the prime minister added. Modi addressed the rally as polling was underway in eight western Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha constituencies in the first phase of the general election in the country. The prime minister began his speech with an appeal to people to vote. "I appeal to all to exercise their right to vote given by the Constitution," he said. Modi emphasized that youngsters sh

Bengal govt begins survey for enumeration of Mahato community: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced that her government has started a survey to enumerate the population of the Mahato community amid their long-pending demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Addressing an administrative programme here, she said her government would also write to the Centre seeking recognition of Sarnaism as a separate religion as being demanded by tribals, and asserted that if it is not given, she would start a massive demonstration. Banerjee also said if the Centre does not clear the "dues" of the PM Awas Yojana by April 1, her government will build 11 lakh houses for the beneficiaries under the scheme. "The Mahatos have a long-standing demand to declare them as STs. But, I will tell them that it is not in my hands. So, please do not blame me for it. I would like to inform you that we have started a geographical survey to find the actual percentage of the Mahato population in the state. We have over 6 per cent tribal population in West

Is state empowered to make classification in SCs, STs for quota: SC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday commenced examining a legal question whether a state government is empowered to make a sub-classification in the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes for grant of reservation in admissions and public jobs. A seven-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud is also examining the validity of the Punjab Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes (Reservation in Services) Act, 2006 which provided 50 percent quota and the first preference' to Valmikis' and Mazhabi Sikhs' castes in public jobs inside the quota meant for the Scheduled Castes (SCs). The bench, also comprising justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, Bela M Trivedi, Pankaj Mithal, Manoj Misra and Satish Chandra Mishra, is hearing 23 petitions, including the lead one filed by the Punjab Government challenging the 2010 verdict of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The high court had struck down Section 4(5) of the Punjab law, which gave 50 per cent SC quota to Valmikis' and Mazhabi Sikhs',

No 'vertical' reservation on lines of SC, ST, OBC for LGBTQs: Ex-CJI Lalit

Former Chief Justice of India U U Lalit on Thursday said the LGBTQ community is not entitled to claim "vertical" reservations like those given to the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), or Economically Weaker Section (EWS). He, however, said they may claim "horizontal" reservation on the lines of the ones for women and persons with disabilities. Justice Lalit, who retired as the 49th CJI in November 2022, was answering a query during the question and answer session after delivering a special lecture on 'ffirmative Action and Constitution of India' at the India International University of Legal Education and Research (IIULER) here. When asked whether the LGBTQ community will ever come under the ambit of constitutional affirmative action/reservation, he said, "Theoretically yes, but if I give the counter argument, not to belittle the idea, but to see that my birth in a community like SC, ST or OBC is something beyond my capacity while sexual ...

Himachal govt issues notification to grant ST status to Hatti community

The Himachal Pradesh government on Monday issued a notification granting Scheduled Tribes (ST) status to the Hatti community of Sirmaur district's Transgiri area. Members of the community, who reside in 154 panchayats of the area, had been demonstrating against the state government over not implementing the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Second Amendment) Act, 2023, and notifying the community as ST. After a Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu told a press conference that the state government had sought a clarification from the Centre regarding scheduled castes status among the Hatti community in September last year after the law department raised some objections. "I was in continuous touch with Union Home Minister Amit Shah," he said. "I had promised that a notification would be issued in this regard within 24 hours after the clarification is received and the promise stands fulfilled in 10 hours," Sukhu said, adding that he would go to Nahan on January 3

Manipur CM N Biren Singh expresses concern over attacks on state forces

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has expressed concern over the attacks on state forces and said that a delegation will soon go to Delhi to meet central leaders and apprise them of the situation. Singh's statement came in the wake of five state police commandos injured in a attack at the border town of Moreh in Tengnoupal district on Saturday. They have been airlifted to Imphal and admitted to hospital. Taking to X, Singh said "The unprecedented attacks against the state forces in the recent times have become a serious national security threat. While the state and central security forces are actively engaged in maintaining control over the situation, it is also imperative for the combined security forces to adopt a robust and comprehensive approach to deal with these elements, who are relentlessly attempting to destabilise the state of Manipur." The CM held a meeting with BJP state president A Sharda Devi, ministers, MLAs and party leaders on Sunday and discussed the situation .

Over 17 mn ST students granted pre, post-matric scholarships in 5 yrs: Govt

The Centre awarded pre-matric scholarships to 1,03,34,708 (1.03 crore) Scheduled Tribe students during the past five years, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Post-matric scholarships were granted to 68,74,363 (68.74 lakh) Scheduled Tribe (ST) students during this period. Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Bishweswar Tudu told the Upper House that 11,925 Scheduled Tribe students received the national scholarship for higher education while 13,326 obtained the national fellowship for higher education in the past five years. The National Overseas Scholarship Scheme was extended to 170 students, he said. Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST Students covers those in classes 9-10 with an annual parental income below Rs 2.5 lakh. The contributions are 75 per cent from the Centre and 25 per cent from the state (90 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively, for northeast and hill states). Post-Matric Scholarship for ST Students includes those in Class 11 and above and with an annual

Tendu leaf collection rates raised to Rs 4,000 a bag in Madhya Pradesh

The decision will provide relief to more than 3.5 million tendu leaf collectors, who will now get an additional remuneration of Rs 162 crore

Four posts in National Commission for Scheduled Tribes lying vacant: Govt

Four posts, including that of chairperson, are lying vacant in the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Bishweswar Tudu informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. These posts are of constitutional nature, he said in a written reply. The minister said the post of chairperson, vice-chairperson and two posts of members are lying vacant from June 27, 2023; July 27, 2019; and January 16, 2020, respectively. The post of chairperson fell vacant due to the resignation of the incumbent on personal grounds, he added. Proposals for selection of chairperson and members of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) received by the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry from various sources -- including eminent personalities, chief ministers of states, MLAs, MPs and directly -- are scrutinised in the ministry, he added. The credentials of the proposed persons are verified from the state governments/state authorities concerned. Once approved by the Un

Over 13,600 SC, ST and OBC students dropped out of IITs, IIMs in 5 yrs: MoE

Over 13,600 reserved category students dropped out from central universities, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) over the last five years, Lok Sabha was informed on Monday. Union Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar shared the statistics in a written reply to a query by BSP member in Lok Sabha Ritesh Pandey. In the case of Central Universities (CUs), Sarkar said that as many as 4596 OBC, 2424 SC, and 2622 ST students dropped out in the last five years. In IITs, 2066 OBCs, 1068 SC and 408 ST students dropped out. In IIMs, the figure remained at 163, 188, and 91 for OBC, SC and ST students, respectively. "In the higher education sector, students have multiple options and they choose to migrate across institutions and from one course/programme to another in the same institution. "The migration/withdrawal, if any, is mainly on account of securing seats by the students in other departments or institutions of their choice or on any

What is the PM Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups Development Mission?

PM Modi is on a two-day visit to Jharkhand and will launch the Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission on the birth anniversary of tribal icon Birsa Munda

'SC/ST House panel satisfied with condition of both communities in Assam'

Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Kirit Premjibhai Solanki on Monday expressed satisfaction on the overall social condition of these two communities in Assam. He, however, stressed on the need to improve different parameters such as education and jobs besides ending practices like manual scavenging in which mostly people from Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) are engaged. Talking to reporters at the end of a three-day study tour of the panel to the state, Solanki said, "Discrimination based on caste is less in Assam and the entire northeastern region compared many other parts of the country. We have learnt that cases of atrocities on SC/ST are also few here." Solanki, who was accompanied by 14 out of total 30 members of the committee, held discussions with state government representatives including chief secretary and several PSUs such as LIC, ONGC, OIL, Northeast Frontier Railways and IIT-Guwahati. The ...