Sikkim Govt Sets Up 12-Member High-Level Committee For ST Status to 12 Indigenous Communities
First Published: 5th November, 2024 11:47 IST
The committee will prepare a comprehensive ethnographic and anthropological report of the 12 left out Sikkimese communities.
The Sikkim government has formed a 12-member high-level committee to push for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for 12 unlisted indigenous communities in the state. This is aimed at addressing a long-standing demand for their inclusion in the ST category under the Indian Constitution.
The Sikkim State High-Level Committee (SSHLC) will examine the socio-cultural, historical, ecological, and legal reasons for the inclusion of these communities in the ST category, the Gazette notification said.
The committee will be led by Prof B.V. Sharma, who is the Director of the Anthropological Survey of India and Director General of the Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation, with Prof Mahendra P. Lama, an experienced economist and professor, as Vice Chairman.
The other members of the committee are Prof Virginius Xaxa, former Deputy Director, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Dr Satyabrata Chakrabarti, Former General Secretary, Asiatic Society & former Deputy Director Anthropological Survey of India, Prof. (Dr) Nupur Tiwari, Director, Centre of Tribal Research and exploration (COTREX), IIPA New Delhi, Prof. Sarit Kumar Chaudhury, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh, Rangan Dutta, IAS, Former Senior Official of Office of the Registrar General India (ORGI), New Delhi (Concent yet to be received), Prof. A B Ota, IAS, Senior Advisor, United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF)/Advisor Tribal Museum, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Prof. Sandhya Thapa, Head of Department of Sociology, Sikkim University, Bedu Singh Panth, Advisor, Chairman Eleven+1 Indigenous Ethnic Communities in Sikkim (EIECOS+1), Secretary Social Welfare Department, Government of Sikkim.
The committee will prepare a comprehensive ethnographic and anthropological report of the 12 left out Sikkimese communities – Bhujel, Gurung, Jogi, Kirat Khambu Rai, Kirat Dewan (Yakha), Khas (Chettri-Bahun), Mangar, Newar, Sanyashi, Sunuwar (Mukhia), Thami, and Majhi.
One of the committee’s main objectives is to align their findings with the constitutional criteria required for ST status. The report will include an analysis of the potential benefits of including these communities, emphasizing aspects such as cultural preservation, tribal development, and the strategic importance to border security in the Himalayan region.
The SSHLC has been given a three-month timeline to submit its report. This will serve as the groundwork for the state’s formal proposal to the central government, pushing for the recognition of these indigenous groups.
The state government aims that the committee’s recommendations will lay a clear path for securing Scheduled Tribe status, ensuring greater support and opportunities for these communities and fostering the development and protection of Sikkim’s cultural and social fabric.
Also Read: New Alternative Highway to Lachung and Lachen Set to Open, Reviving North Sikkim Tourism
Also Watch:
COMMENTS
TOPMOST STORY NOW
Live India makes formal bid to host Olympics 2036: MYAS Source
05th November 2024Live This Star Kid is Just 11 And He is Dubbing For a Disney Film. Its not Taimur, It Is…
05th November 2024Live Karbi Anglong Police Seize Rs 8 Crore Worth of Heroin, Arrest Two Suspects
05th November 2024Live Sexual Harassment at NIT Jote Sparks Protests; Students Demand Action and Transparency
05th November 2024WE RECOMMEND
Differently-Abled Man From Sikkim Allegedly Assaulted By Traffic Police in Odisha, CAP Demands Justice
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with advocacy groups and citizens condemning the act as an alarming violation of human rights.
05th November 2024Gangtok Introduces Odd-Even Vehicle Rule and Changes School Timings to Tackle Traffic Woes. Check Details Here
To reduce traffic near schools, the Education Department has also changed the operating hours for schools in the GMC area.
05th November 2024New Alternative Highway to Lachung and Lachen Set to Open, Reviving North Sikkim Tourism
Minister Dahal also confirmed that permits for tourists visiting Lachung and Lachen will start being issued from next week.
02nd November 2024This Bypolls, It’s All In the Families: 3 Wives, 2 Sons in The Fray, Sikkim CM’s Son Wins Unopposed
In the 8 assembly constituencies, there are as many as 6 kin of leaders in contesting the polls
01st November 2024SKM Wins Sikkim Bypolls Unopposed As SDF Candidates Withdraw Nominations
With this win, SKM has full majority in the 32-member Sikkim Assembly winning all the 32 seats.
29th October 2024