Lok Sabha takes up debate on bills to amend SC, ST lists in Andhra, Odisha

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday took up for discussion two bills which seek to modify the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.The Constitution Scheduled Tribes Order Amendment Bill, 2024, and the Constitution Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Order Amendment Bill, 2024, both passed by the Rajya Sabha, was taken up for discussion in the Lower House on Thursday. While in Odisha it will add four groups in the list.

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday took up for discussion two bills which seek to modify the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, both passed by the Rajya Sabha, was taken up for discussion in the Lower House on Thursday. The first bill seeks to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes in Andhra Pradesh, while the second one seeks to modify the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Odisha.

Both the bills were piloted by Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda in the upper house.

In Andhra Pradesh, three more ethnic groups - - Bondo Porja, Khond Porja, Parangiperja are being added to the list of Scheduled Tribes. While in Odisha it will add four groups in the list. All these are part of Primitive Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) and they have been added to the scheduled list after 75 years of independence.