INCLUSION OF CASTES IN SC CATEGORY

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 1710

ANSWERED ON 22.07.2014

INCLUSION OF CASTES IN SC CATEGORY

1710 . SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:-

(a) the norms/guidelines followed for inclusion of castes in the category of Scheduled Castes;

(b) whether the Government has received proposals from various States including Uttar Pradesh for inclusion of various castes in the category of Scheduled Castes (SCs);

(c) if so, the details thereof indicating the castes listed by these States for inclusion in the category of Scheduled Castes, State/UT-wise and the action taken by the Government thereon along with the present status of each of these proposals;

(d) whether the Government proposes to include the said castes in the list of Scheduled Castes in Uttar Pradesh also; and

(e) if so, the steps taken in this regard?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT)

(a): The criteria followed for inclusion of a caste in the list of Scheduled Castes is extreme social, educational and economic backwardness arising out of traditional practice of ‘untouchability’. Further Government made modalities in June, 1999 as amended in June, 2002, for consideration of specification of castes as Scheduled Castes.

(b) & (c): State/ Union Territory-wise details of proposals received during last two years and current year are as under;-

State/ Union Territory	Caste recommended for inclusion
	2012	2013	2014
Chhattisgarh	-	(1) Sarathi, Sooth Sarathi, Sahis, Sais, Thanwar (2) Sonkar	-
Jharkhand	(1) Paik, Khandit, Khandit Paik	-	-
Madhya Pradesh	(1) Jangda	-	--
Uttar Pradesh	--	(1). Kahar, kashyap, Kewat, Mallah, Nishad, Dheevar, Bind, Dheemar, Batham, Turha, Godiya, Manjhi, Machhua, (2). Bhar, Rajbhar, (3). Kumhar, Prajapati.	--
West Bengal	--	--	(1)  Chain
Dadra and Nagar Haveli	(1) Valmiki	--	--
Delhi	--	(1) Berwa, (2) Kapadia	--

The above proposals have been processed in accordance with the aforesaid Modalities. The details of action taken are as under:-

The proposals in respect of Sonkar caste of Chhattisgarh, Paik, Khandit, Khandit Paik castes of Jharkhand, Jangda caste of Madhya Pradesh, Kahar, Kashyap , Kewat, Mallah, Nishad, Dheevar, Bind, Dheemar, Batham, Turha, Godiya, Manjhi, Machhua,. Bhar, Rajbhar, Kumhar and Prajapati castes of Uttar Pradesh, and Berwa and Kapadia castes of Delhi have been returned to the the concerned State Governments/ Union Territory Administration to further justify their recommendation in the light of observations of the Registrar General of India (RGI). The proposal of Valmiki caste of Dadra & Nagar Haveli has been sent to the Union Territory Administration with the request to substantiate their recommendation with requisite ethnographic details. The proposal of Chain caste of West Bengal has been sent to the RGI for comments. The proposal of Sarathi, Sooth Sarathi, Sahis, Sais, Thanwar caste of Chhattisgarh has been sent to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes for comments.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Sudarshan Bhagat in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha here today.

  

(d) Presently, there is no such proposal, under consideration of the Government.

(e) Does not arise.