NCST Gives Nod To Include Pahari Community In ST List

Tags: National State News National News

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) on 4 November, 2022 approved inclusion of Pahari Ethnic Group, Paddari Tribe, Koli and Gadda Brahmans in the Scheduled Tribes (STs).

Important facts

• The proposal to include these groups in the list of STs was placed before the Commission on 7 October by the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

• The Commission studied and approved the proposal in its meetings.

• The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs will now submit a memorandum to the cabinet to approve the reservation for Pahari ethnic group, Paddari tribe, Kolis and Gadda Brahmins under the ST category.

• After the cabinet approval, the ministry will introduce a bill in the Parliament to amend the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order, 1989 to include these communities in the STs.

• When approved by the Parliament, the President shall notify the revised schedule of the ST list under Article 342 of the Constitution of India.

• On October 4 and 5, 2022, Home Minister Amit Shah had announced ST status for Pahari based on the recommendations of the GD Sharma panel.

About Pahari Community

• Pahari people is a term used for several heterogeneous communities settled in parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

• Pahari is a term used to describe the various northern Indo-Aryan languages spoken by the people, most of them found in the lower Himalayas.

• In 1989, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir had set up an advisory board for the development of the Pahari speaking people and the welfare of the Pahari people.

Four tribes to the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST)

• The Hatti tribe in the Trans-Giri area in Himachal Pradesh.

• The Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran hill tribes of Tamil Nadu.

• The Binjhia tribe in Chhattisgarh.

• The Cabinet also approved a proposal to bring the Gond community of Uttar Pradesh under the ST list.

National Commission for Scheduled Tribes  

• It has been established by amending Article 338 and inserting a new Article 338A in the Indian Constitution through the 89th Amendment Act.

• It is a constitutional body.

• It consists of a chairman, a vice-chairman and three whole-time members (including a woman member).

• Its term is for 3 years and the chairman is appointed by the President.

• It investigates and monitors matters relating to Safeguards provided for STs.

• Chairman - Harsha Chauhan

• Union Minister of Tribal Affairs - Arjun Munda