The Centre is set to move a Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Monday afternoon for the inclusion of certain communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes in relation to the state of Chhattisgarh.
Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda is to move the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2022 which seeks amendment in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 for inclusion of certain communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes in relation to the State of Chhattisgarh. The Bill, which the Lok Sabha passed during Winter Session on December 21, 2022, includes the Dhanuhar, Dhanuwar, Kisan, Saunra, Saonra, and Binjhia communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes in Chhattisgarh by amending the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.
The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 lists the tribal communities deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in states and union territories.
The Bill includes Bhuinya, Bhuiyan, and Bhuyan communities as synonyms of the Bharia Bhumia community. It also includes three Devanagari versions of the name of the Pando community.
Further, the Bill substitutes the names of certain tribal communities in the Constitution Order, with corresponding names in the Hindi version of the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000. For instance, the names of Oraon, Dhanka, and Dhangad communities will be substituted.