A DELEGATION OF MINISTERS & MLAs LED BY ASSAM VIDHAN SABHA SPEAKER CALLS ON DR. JATIYA

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A delegation of Ministers and MLAs from Assam led by Shri Prithibi Majhi, Speaker, Vidhan Sabha, Assam, called on Dr. Satyanarayan Jatiya, Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment last evening. The delegation representing over 60 lakhs of Oraon, Munda, Santal, Kharia, Tassa etc. communities, commonly known as tea-tribes people of Assam, presented a Memorandum to the Minister requesting for inclusion of these communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes and introduction of a Bill in the Parliament to this effect.

The Memorandum further stated that their counterparts in the States of Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Tripura are recognised as Scheduled Tribes already. They contended that there are about 75 of these communities basically belonging to Scheduled Tribes, but these tribes have been deprived of benefits and privileges of their tribal status, as they are not yet recognised by the Government as tribes.

The delegation also claimed that several Parliamentary Commissions, namely, A.K. Chanda Commission, Lokur Commission, Dhebar Commission, Patskar Commission constituted from time to time and also successive State Governments of Assam have recommended these communities for inclusion in the list of Scheduled Tribes.

Dr. Jatiya assured the delegation to look into the matter expeditiously.