Dr. Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, a Member of Parliament from Manipur, recently brought up the issue of including the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list in the Lok Sabha. He had asked for a verbal response, but the Ministry of Tribal Affairs answered in writing as an unstarred question (No. 4081).
Dr. Angomcha Bimol Akoijam asked the Government of India what steps had been taken to include the Meitei community in the ST list for Assam, Tripura, and Manipur. He also asked about the reasons for any delay or inaction on this matter and the current status of this long-standing demand.
In response, Shri Durgadas Uikey, the Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, explained the process that must be followed for any community to be included in the ST list. According to the Ministry, proposals for inclusion need to be submitted by the state governments or Union Territories, with proper reasons and justification. These proposals must also be reviewed and approved by the Registrar General of India (RGI) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) before they can be considered for legal changes.
The Ministry's response clarified that the Meitei community’s inclusion in the ST list depends on following this established procedure.
The demand for the Meitei community to be included in the ST list has been ongoing for a long time. Supporters believe that being included in the list would help protect their culture and provide important benefits for their socio-economic development. This issue continues to be a topic of discussion and concern in Manipur and other regions. (PR)