Lok Sabha Question No. 191 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-11-29
Subject: Uniform Plan to issue ST Certificates
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: D. Ravikumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 191

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.11.2021

## UNIFORM PLAN TO ISSUE ST CERTIFICATES

## 191. SHRI RAVIKUMAR D.:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is proposing the ease the procedure for the issue of ST certificate and to issue caste certificates to tribal people across the country including in Tamil Nadu; if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the efforts being taken by the Government to increase the literacy level of tribals in the country;
- (c) whether the Government has any plan to introduce a special housing scheme for Tribals; and
- (d) whether the Police department of various states still treat some tribal communities as habitual offenders; and if so, the proposal of the Government to change this colonial mindset?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU)

- (a)        Ministry of Tribal Affairs is nodal Ministry for Notification of a community as Scheduled Tribe under Article 342 of the Constitution. However, the responsibility of issuance and verification of Scheduled Tribe certificate/ social status rests with the concerned State Government/ UT Administration. All complaints/grievances/representations  received  in  this  regard  are  forwarded  to  State  Government/  UT Administration concerned. The information is not maintained centrally.

The Ministry has been issuing advisories from time to time regarding issuance of ST certificates with  proper  verification  and  ensure  that  deserving  ST  persons  are  issued  certificates  without  undue delays and difficulties. The last such advisory was issued on 17/02/2020.

- (b)        Department  of  School  Education  and  Literacy  (DoSEL),  Ministry  of  Education  is  implementing Samagra Shiksha scheme. Bridging gender and social category gaps at all levels of school education is one of the major objectives of the scheme. The Scheme reaches out to girls, and children belonging to SC, ST,  Minority  communities  and  transgender.  The  Scheme  also  focuses  on  the  identified  Special  Focus Districts (SFDs) on the basis of adverse performance on various indicators of enrollment, retention, and gender parity, as well as concentration of SC, ST and minority communities.
- (c)        This Government launched Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban in June, 2015 for providing pucca house to all eligible families / beneficiaries in urban areas of the country under 'Housing for All by 2022' mission.  The  Scheme  covers  all  eligible  urban  beneficiaries  universally  including  those  belonging  to Scheduled Tribe Category. To pursue the objective of 'Housing for All by 2022,' the Government is also implementing  Pradhan  Mantri  Awaas  Yojana-Gramin  (PMAY-G)  w.e.f.  1st  April  2016  which  aims  for construction of 2.95 crore pucca houses with basic amenities for eligible rural households with minimum 60% target for SC/ST at the National level. As per guidelines 17.5 % of its total budget is earmarked to Scheduled Tribes every financial year.
- (d)       Police and Public Order are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibility of maintaining law and order, protection of life and property of the citizens rests with the respective State Governments. The State Governments are competent to deal with such offences under the extant provisions of laws. Ministry has not received reports of any instances on the Police department of  some  states  treating  the  tribals  as  habitual  offenders.   The  National  Crimes  Record  Bureau  that  is entrusted  with  maintaining  records  of  crimes  in  the  country  in  its  report  has  highlighted  about  some initiatives  including  providing  better  citizen  centric  services  like  e-portals  for  reporting  of  crimes  online. Others include opening of Women help-desks at Police Stations to encourage women to freely report crime. Such measures are expected to encourage victims of any crime to seek justice.

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