Manipur government fails to comply with Tribal ministry's guidelines, says National Commission for Scheduled Tribes

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes has observed that the Manipur government is not complying with guidelines issued by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs with respect to constitutional safeguards of the tribes of the state.

Manipur tribal bodies have appealed for the enactment of Hill Areas Autonomous District Council Bill 2021 and provide constitutional safeguards for Scheduled Tribes of the state during a review meeting with the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).

In the NCST review meet held in the presence of the Secretary and other officials of the Commission interacted and discussed with tribal leaders of Manipur on December 20, 2022 highlighted issues concerning the tribes of the state.

The Hill Areas Committee (HAC) recommended the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Councils Bill 2021, which seeks to provide more autonomy to the ADC as envisaged under Article 371C of Indian Constitution, to be tabled and passed into an Act in the 13th session of the 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly, and which was denied by the state government.

The Commission has recommended to launch a dedicated website for the Tribal Affairs and Hill Department (TA&H) and make available detailed information pertaining to Scheduled Tribes of Manopur, their population, development programmes implemented, physical and financial progress during last five years.
Additionally, the NCST has demanded last three years Governor’s report on Hill Areas Committee under Article 371C(2) of the Constitution of India.

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The Commission has also declared the Tribal Affairs and Hill Department (TA&H) of the state be declared as the nodal department for coordination in so far as Scheduled Tribe Component (STC)/TSP is concerned. So that funds received from various Central Ministries/Departments under STC/TSP to be monitored by the TA&H department.
The list of prisoners belonging to Scheduled Tribes communities, who are languishing in the various jails of the State (up to December 2022) , indicating the charges against them and whether they have been produced before the court of law, status of investigation etc, may be furnished to the Commission.

The Commission also recommended the review of withdrawal of AFSPA, 1958 from the Hill areas of Manipur, taking into account the ground reality of the hill areas which have become peaceful, as the AFSPA has been withdrawn from 15 police stations of valley districts of the state.

The data regarding representations of the Scheduled Tribes in various state departments and institutions including recruitment of MIL (Tribal recognized dialect) teachers in government schools and colleges during last three years may be furnished to the Commission.