Rajya Sabha passes 3 Bills after brief discussions

Two of them were passed by the Lok Sabha earlier this week.

Congress member Mallikarjun Kharge speaks in the Rajya Sabha on August 5, 2021. Photo: RSTV via PTI

Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which seeks to amend the constitutional list of Scheduled Tribes as recommended by Arunachal Pradesh.

The bill was passed by voice vote amid protest by the opposition over issues of Pegasus, agricultural laws and others.

Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda, who had indtroduced this bill in Rajya Sabha on August 2 said, "This bill will justice to tribals. Please support and approve the bill."

At present, there are 18 communities with their synonyms appearing in the illustrative list of Scheduled Tribes with respect to the state of Arunachal Pradesh. On the basis of recommendations made by the state of Arunachal Pradesh, the new bill provides for modifying Part-XVIII of the Schedule to the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, relating to state of Arunachal Pradesh.

Accordingly, the bill provides for deletion of 'Abor' (tribe) in serial No. 1, as it is the same as 'Adi' in serial No. 16, and proposed to replace 'Tai Khamti' instead of 'Khampti' at serial No. 6 of the list.

It also provides for inclusion of 'Mishmi-Kaman (Miju Mishmi)', 'Idu (Mishmi)' and 'Taraon (Digaru Mishmi)' in serial No. 8 in lieu of 'Mishmi, Idu, Taroan' in the list.

It provides for inclusion of 'Monpa', 'Memba', 'Sartang', 'Sajolang (Miji)' in serial No. 9 in lieu of 'Momba' in the list.

It also provides for inclusion of 'Nocte', 'Tangsa', 'Tutsa', 'Wancho' in lieu of 'Any Naga Tribes' in serial No. 10 of the the list.

This amendment in the list of Scheduled Tribes, relating to the state of Arunachal Pradesh, will entail no additional recurring expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India, on account of benefits likely to be provided to persons belonging to the communities proposed in the Bill.

The ministry of Tribal Affairs is funding the welfare of 10.45 crores of Scheduled Tribes population (Census, 2011). Further, the Scheduled Tribes are also eligible for benefits under the Scheduled Tribes Component (STC) of schemes under the central government and state governments.

Banda Prakash (TRS), M Thambidurai (AIADMK), K Somaprasad (CPI-M), Fauzia Khan (NCP), Manoj Jha (RJD) and S K Gupta (AAP) spoke briefly on the bill and supported it.