Jharkhand passes bill for setting up tribal commission

Ranchi: Jharkhand assembly on Wednesday passed a bill for the constitution of state commission for Scheduled Tribes through voice vote. Though identified as a tribal state, there were commissions for backward classes and minorities while the affairs of tribals were dealt by regional office of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes in Jharkhand.
The bill was tabled during the second half of the Budget session. Two MLAs of the ruling party, chief whip Radha Krishna Kishore and Shiv Shankar Oraon, proposed amendments. Chief minister Raghubar Das immediately accepted the suggestions before the bill was adopted by the House. The government had proposed setting up a commission for which the chairperson and vice-chairperson would be nominated by the government based on the criteria that the persons should have elaborate understanding of tribal culture, knowledge, tradition, language and practices.

Kishore pointed that unless this provision was amended there are chances that non-tribal people who have academic knowledge of tribal culture and tradition can also become the chairperson and vice-chairperson. “The clause in the bill should be amended to the affect that any person born in tribal family who continues to follow tribal religion, tradition and practices should only be nominated as the chairperson and vice chairperson,” he said.

Gumla MLA Shiv Shankar Oraon seconded the demand and asked the government to include these provisions as minimum criteria for being enlisted and nominated by government. Both the amendments were accepted by the CM, who informed the house that the bill was tabled as per approval by the Tribal Advisory Council (TAC). “TAC recommended formation of state commission for scheduled tribes and it was BJP government that responded positively to ensure that after 70 years of independence there is a dedicated commission for the tribals,” he said.

JMM leader Stephen Marandi supported the bill but asked the government to ensure that the commission should not be left bereft of powers and infrastructure. “There are panels like minorities commission and finance commission but we should review their functioning and the infrastructure provided to them by the government,” he said pointing to the demand of tribal chairman of TAC that has often been raised by the tribal MLAs of the state.

Welfare minister Louis Marandi and rural development minister Neelkanth Singh Munda described it a historical move by the state government.

The assembly also approved Jharkhand state housing board amendment bill-2018 and Jharkhand Mineral Area Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2019, through voice vote. Under the amendment to housing board, urban development minister CP Singh proposed to increase the limit of housing projects to be approved by board from Rs 2 Crore to Rs 10 crore.