LI Network
Published on: February 9, 2024 at 11:40 IST
In a significant legislative move, the Parliament cleared the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, on Thursday, February 8. This decision opens the door for the inclusion of new communities in the Scheduled Tribes list for the State of Andhra Pradesh.
The proposed bill aims to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order of 1950 based on the recommendations of the State Government of Andhra Pradesh, following consultations with the Registrar General of India and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.
Under the outlined provisions, Entry 25 in the Schedule to Part I of the ST Order, 1950 (Andhra Pradesh), specifically “Porja, Parangiperja,” is set to be replaced with “Porja, Bondo Porja, Khond Porja, Parangiperja.”
Additionally, Entry 28, which mentions “Savaras, Kapu Savaras, Maliya Savaras, Khutto Savaras,” is proposed to be substituted with “Savaras, Kapu Savaras, Maliya Savaras, Konda Savaras, Khutto Savaras.”
These changes collectively result in the addition of three Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) communities to the Scheduled List: Bondo Porja and Khond Porja as synonyms for the Porja Tribe, and Konda Savaras as a synonym for the Savaras Tribe.
Introduced in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda, the bill received unanimous approval through a voice vote on February 6, 2024. During the discussions, Indian National Congress MP L Hanumanthaiah raised concerns about the timing of amendments to Scheduled Castes (SC)/Scheduled Tribes (ST) lists, suggesting a comprehensive review of the entire SC/ST list across the country.
The Lok Sabha also cleared the bill within three days of its introduction, further advancing the legislative process.
Background
Article 342 of the Constitution stipulates that the first list of Scheduled Tribes was notified in 1950 for various States and Union territories through the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950. While this list has been modified over time, the last amendment for Andhra Pradesh occurred with the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Remarkably, despite India having a total of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, it took 75 years of independence for the government to address the inclusion of these three PVTGs in the Scheduled List.
This proposal aligns with the launch of the PM PVTG Development Mission under the Union Budget 2023-24, focusing on providing basic facilities such as education, health, clean drinking water, and sanitation to PVTGs. In November 2023, the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) scheme was introduced to enhance the socio-economic conditions of PVTGs.
