Why is it in the news?
- Rajya Sabha passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order Amendment Bill, 2024 and Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order Amendment Bill, 2024.
More about the news
- The primary objective of these bills is to modify and update the lists of Scheduled Tribes in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
- This involves adding new communities, recognizing synonyms, and incorporating phonetic variations to ensure a more comprehensive and accurate representation of tribal groups within the ST category.
Inclusions in Odisha’s ST List:
- The bill includes several additions to Odisha’s ST list, such as Pauri Bhuyan and Paudi Bhuyan as synonyms of the Bhuyan tribe, Chuktia Bhunjia as a synonym of the Bhunjia tribe, and Bondo as a sub-tribe of the Bondo Poraja tribe.
- Furthermore, synonyms like Mankidia for the Mankirdia tribe are also included.
- The bill also entails the shifting of two entries, Tamadia and Tamudia, from the Scheduled Castes list to the Scheduled Tribes list in Odisha.
- Additionally, Odisha’s ST list is expanded by adding two new communities: the Muka Dora community and the Konda Reddy (and synonyms) community.
Inclusions in Andhra Pradesh’s ST List:
- In Andhra Pradesh, the bill adds Bondo Porja and Khond Porja as synonyms of the Porja tribe and Konda Savaras as a synonym for the Savaras tribe.
| Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)
· The bills’ provisions are significant for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), which are identified as a more vulnerable subgroup among tribal communities due to various factors such as geographical isolation, low literacy, and backwardness. · India has 75 PVTGs spread across 18 states and the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, with Odisha having the largest population of PVTGs followed by Madhya Pradesh. · The recognition of PVTGs began with the Dhebar Commission in 1973, which identified Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) as a separate category. · In 1975, the Indian government initiated the identification of the most vulnerable tribal groups, designating them as PVTGs, with an initial declaration of 52 such groups. · Over the years, additional tribes have been included in the PVTG category, highlighting the government’s efforts to address the specific needs and vulnerabilities of these communities. |
