Centre extends constitutional safeguards to Rajasthan tribals

The Centre has extended constitutional safeguards to the tribals of Rajasthan by declaring several districts of the state as scheduled areas under the fifth schedule of the Constitution.

A decision in this regard was taken by the Union Cabinet at its meeting here on Wednesday.

The Vasundhara Raje-led government in Rajasthan had sent a proposal for extending constitutional safeguards to the tribals of the state, citing "re­organisation/creation" of new districts and "changes in the population" of the state's scheduled tribes in 2011 Census as the ground for it.

The BJP-ruled Rajasthan is due to go for state Assembly polls later this year along with Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, which have a sizable population of scheduled tribes in their respective jurisdiction.

"The Union Cabinet has given approval to the declaration of scheduled areas in respect of Rajasthan under the fifth schedule to the Constitution of India by rescinding the Constitution order, dated February 12, 1981, and promulgation of a new Constitution order," the government said in a statement.