Include Punjab’s tribal segments in Scheduled Tribes list: Satnam Sandhu in Rajya Sabha

Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu on Wednesday raised the issue of inclusion of denotified, nomadic and semi-nomadic tribal communities of Punjab in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) List.

Raising the matter in the Upper House, Sandhu inquired about the criterion, process and study conducted by the Union Government to reclassify certain denotified, nomadic and semi-nomadic communities from Scheduled Castes to Scheduled Tribes and about the status of inclusion of Bazigar, Baoria, Gadila, Nat, Sansi, Barad and Bengali communities of Punjab in the ST list.

Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durga Das Uikey responded saying the Union Government acts on the recommendations and proposals sent by the state government/UT administration, which are then concurred by Registrar General of India (RGI) and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST). 

“The Union Government after receiving the final proposals from RGI and NCST enacts or amends the law which is the final step for the reclassification of the denotified, nomadic and semi-nomadic communities from Scheduled Castes to Scheduled Tribes,” said the Minister.

He said sometimes additional information is sought by RGI and NCST which is immediately communicated to the respective state governments for further required action. 

The Minister added that the process of reclassification of marginalised and tribal communities is a continuous process and hence various proposals are under consideration at different levels. 

Sandhu said despite their considerable population in Punjab, people from Bazigar, Baoria, Gadila, Nat, Sansi, Barad and Bengali tribal communities have not been included in the ST communities list till date.

Sandhu urged the Punjab Government to expedite the process to send the complete proposal for the inclusion of these communities in the ST list.