A long-pending demand of several Assamese communities moved a step forward on Wednesday, with the state cabinet approving the Group of Ministers’ report on granting Scheduled Tribe status to six major groups.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the report, prepared by a three-member GoM, will now be placed before the assembly. “We will request the Speaker to table it in the House before the winter session ends on Saturday,” he told journalists after the cabinet meeting.
Communities seeking inclusion in the ST list for years, Tai Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Motok, Koch-Rajbongshi and the Tea Tribes (Adivasis), have repeatedly argued that recognition is essential for safeguarding their identity, improving socio-economic indicators and accessing constitutional protections.
The GoM was headed by Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, with Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika and Information and Technology Minister Keshab Mahanta as members. Sarma said the Tribal Affairs Department will formally submit the report to the assembly.
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The cabinet also cleared the transfer and modification of 99 acres of land from the Handloom, Textiles and Sericulture Department to the Cultural Affairs Department for establishing a state-of-the-art museum. The facility will house the historic Vrindavani Vastra, which the government plans to bring on loan from the British Museum in London.
Sarma described the textile, created in the 16th century under the guidance of Srimanta Sankardeva at the request of Koch king Nara Narayan, as a centrepiece of Assam’s cultural legacy. The project will be developed with support from JSW I&P Holdings Pvt Ltd as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility programme.
Officials said the new museum is intended to strengthen cultural preservation efforts and provide an institutional space for showcasing one of Assam’s most revered devotional works.
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