ST demand committee blames, urges Govt
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 23 2014 :
Pointing out that a number of official procedures need to be followed and complied with before the demand for inclusion of Meiteis of Manipur as a Scheduled Tribe materialises, the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur has urged the Government of Manipur the accelerate the relevant process.
observing that alleged lack of initiative by the state authorities has been posing as a hurdle against the Meitei people's demand for enlistment as an ST, Committee general secretary Lt Col (Retd) L Lokendra Singh told newspersons at Manipur Press Club today that necessary procedural initiative by the State Government is mandatory for the Meiteis to be considered as an ST.
Regretting that formal intimations by the Committee to meet the Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, who also the ST/Scheduled Castes Development Minister, and the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh to discuss the issue not evoking positive response from the duo seemingly testify indifferent attitude of the Government toward socio-economic development of the Meiteis, he desired that the matter be accorded top priority at the earliest possible.
With the Meiteis deleted from the ST list after 1950 there is no reason why the earlier status cannot be restored if the Government of Manipur does the needful which includes simply discussing the matter in the State Assembly and forwarding resolution of the House to the Central Government, maintained the secretary.
It is said that consequent to submission of a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the then Governor Gurbachan Jagat in November 2012, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs had on May 29, 2013 sought recommendation from the State's ST/SC Development Department.
While criteria generally adopted for specification of a community as an ST include indications of primitive traits, distinctive culture, shyness of contact with community at large and geographical isolation (backwardness) as per reports of various committees formed by successive Governments in the Centre between 1931 and 1969, the Government in June 1999 approved modalities for deciding claims for inclusion in, or exclusion from, the list of ST, explained the former Indian military officer.
According to these approved guidelines, only those claims that have been agreed by the concerned State Government, the Registrar General of India (RGI) and the national Commission for SC/ST will be taken up for consideration, Lt Col Lokendra explained.
Regarding other steps for inclusion in ST list, the secretary said that whenever representations are received in the Ministry for inclusion of any community in the ST list of States/union territories, the Minister forwards that representation to the concerned State Government for recommendations as required under Article 342 .
further explaining that if the State Government recommends then the same is sent to the RGI, with RGI if satisfied, recommends the proposal to the Central Government.
After formal conveyance from the Centre, the National Commission for ST will propose the matter for decision of the Cabinet after consultation with the concerned administrative ministries, he said adding that the matter will be put up before the parliament in the form of a Bill to amend the Presidential Order.
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