Union Cabinet approves proposal to add Himachal's Hatti community to ST list

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved a Constitution amendment bill that seeks to grant tribal status to the Hatti community living in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district.

Addressing the media, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda said the Cabinet has also approved Constitutional amendment bills to grant Scheduled Tribes status to the Binjhia community in Chhattisgarh and the Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran communities in Tamil Nadu.

After the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill 2022 becomes an Act, around 1.6 lakh members of the Hatti community Trans-Giri region will be able to derive benefits meant for STs under the existing government schemes.

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They will also be entitled to benefits of reservation in services and admission to educational institutions according to government policy.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur, who addressed the media after the Cabinet briefing, said people belonging to the community in Himachal Pradesh had been asking for inclusion in the ST list for more than 50 years.

He said the Hatti community in the Jaunsar region of Uttrakhand had already been given tribal status.

"The Trans-Giri region of Sirmaur shares the border with Jaunsar, and the two have a cultural similarity. It is a historic decision. I thank PM Modi for this," Thakur said.

Munda said the Binjhia community's demand for inclusion in the ST list of Chhattisgarh had been pending for around 15 years.

The Cabinet has also okayed a Constitutional amendment bill to add the Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran communities living in the hills of Tamil Nadu, in the state's ST list.

The inclusion of the Betta-Kuruba community as synonym of “Kadu Kuruba" in Karnataka has also been approved.