Union Cabinet approves ST status for Sirmaur’s Hattee community : The Tribune India

Tribune News Service

Ambika Sharma

Solan, September 14

Ten years after the then BJP national president promised Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Hattee community of trans-Giri area of Sirmaur district, the Union Cabinet today gave its approval for the same.

Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri @narendramodi , the Union Cabinet on 14.09.2022 approved the proposal of the @TribalAffairsIn for the inclusion of the Hattee community in 4 blocks of the Trans Giri area of Sirmour District
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— Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India (@TribalAffairsIn) September 14, 2022

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, approved a Bill namely “The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill 2022” in the Parliament for certain amendment in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes Order, 1950 so as to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs) of Himachal Pradesh.

After the Bill becomes an Act, member of the communities newly listed in the revised list of Scheduled Tribes of Himachal Pradesh will also be able to derive benefits meant for STs under the existing schemes of the Government. Some of the major schemes of this kind include post matric scholarship, national overseas scholarship, national fellowship, top class education, concessional loans from National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation, hostels for ST boys and girls etc.  In addition, they will also be entitled to benefits of reservation in services and admission to educational institutions as per Government policy.

The information was shared by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs on its social media account as well as the former Shillai MLA Baldev Tomar.

हिमाचल प्रदेश के सिरमौर जिले के हाटी समुदाय की वर्षों पुरानी मांग को पूरा कर उन्हें अनुसूचित जनजाति में शामिल करने की मांग स्वीकार करने के निर्णय के लिए मैं प्रधानमंत्री @narendramodi और केंद्रीय मंत्री @MundaArjun जी का आभार प्रकट करता हूं

– केंद्रीय मंत्री @ianuragthakur pic.twitter.com/38J8syvSUs

— पीआईबी हिंदी (@PIBHindi) September 14, 2022

The Hattee community had been demanding the ST status since 1967. The BJP has also been supporting the demand and it gained momentum in April with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah assuring CM Jairam Thakur about the same.

BJP national president JP Nadda had also indicated about its approval during his recent visit to Paonta Sahib and Nahan.

The Hattee community is demograpchically spread in Sirmaur district with borders around Uttarakhand. Four of the five assembly segments of Sirmaur comprising Renuka Ji, Pacchad, Shillai and Paonta Sahib will reap its benefits in the ensuing assembly elections.

This community has a population of about three lakh.