Daily Current Affairs

Parliament passes the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill 2024 (GS Paper 2, Governance)

Why in news?

• The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was passed by the Parliament, to include ‘Pahari Ethnic Group, Paddari Tribe, Koli and Gadda Brahmin’ communities in the list of STs of UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
• It aims to amend the Constitution (Jammu & Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order, 1989 with respect to the UT of J&K.
• Earlier, the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in respect of Andhra Pradesh and the Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in respect of Odisha were passed in order to effect inclusions in their respective lists of Scheduled Tribes.

 

Bill for Andhra Pradesh:

• The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is intended to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes regarding Andhra Pradesh. The following inclusions will be made in list of Scheduled Tribes of Andhra Pradesh: -

1. Inclusion of ‘Bondo Porja’ and ‘Khond Porja’, that are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), at entry 25 in the ST list of Andhra Pradesh.
2. Inclusion of ‘Konda Savaras’, that are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), at entry 28 in the ST list of Andhra Pradesh.

 

 Bill for Odisha:

• The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2024 proposed to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 to modify the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in relation to Odisha.
• The following changes/inclusions will be made in list of Scheduled Tribes of Odisha: -

I.   Four Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), which are proposed to be included in their own names in the list of STs:

1. Pauri Bhuyan, Paudi Bhuyan as synonyms of Bhuiya, Bhuyan at Sl. No. 6;
2. Chuktia Bhunjia as synonym of Bhunjia at Sl. No. 9;
3. Bondo as sub-entry under STs "Bondo Poraja, Bonda Paroja. Banda Paroja" at Sl. No.13; and,
4. Mankidia as synonym of ST “Mankirdia” at Sl.No. 47.

II.        Omitting of two names from the list of Scheduled Castes

1. Tamadia at Sl. No. 87; and,
2. Tamudia at Sl. No. 88.

III.       Inclusion of Communities names of which are phonetic variations or synonyms of pre-existing entries in the list of STs of the State:

1. Tamadia*, Tamaria, Tamudia*, Tamodia Bhumij, Tamudia Bhumij, Tamundia Bhumij, Tamulia Bhumij, Tamadia Bhumij as a sub-entry under main entry “Bhumij” at Sl. No. 8.

(*These communities are proposed to be omitted from the Scheduled Caste list.)

1. Banda Paraja, Bonda Paraja,  Bonda, Banda as sub-entry under STs "Bondo Poraja, Bonda Paroja. Banda Paroja" at Sl. No.13.
2. Durua, Dhurua, Dhurava as subsect of Dharua, Dhuruba, Dhurva at Sl. No. 17.
3. Kaur, Kunwar, Kaonr, Kuanr, Konwar, Kuanar, Kaanr, Koanr, Kuanwar as synonym of ST “Kawar, Kanwar” at Sl. No. 28.
4. Inclusion of Kui (Kandha) as a new sub-entry under the ST Khond and Kandha Kumbhar community as a subset of Kandha Scheduled Tribe at Sl. No.  31.
5. Uram, Oram, Uraon, Dhangara and Oraon Mudi communities as synonyms of Oraon listed at Sl. No. 53.
6. Bareng Jhodia Paroja, Penga Paroja, Pengu Paroja, Porja, Selia Paroja, as synonym of ST Paroja at Sl. No. 55.
7. Rajual, Rajuad as synonym of ST Rajuar at Sl. No. 57.
8. Saara as synonym under Saora, Savar, Saura, Sahara, etc at Sl. No. 59.

IV.       Inclusion of communities through New Entry:

1. Muka Dora, Mooka Dora, Nuka Dora, Nooka Dora with area restriction (in undivided Koraput District i.e., Koraput, Nowrangapur, Rayagada & Malkangiri districts) at Sl. No. 63.
2. Konda Reddy, Konda Reddi at Sl. No. 64.

 

Way Forward:

• After the Bills become an Act, member of the communities newly listed in the revised list of Scheduled Tribes of J&K, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha will also be able to derive benefits meant for STs under the existing schemes of the Government.

 

Gupteswar forest in Odisha declared as Bio-Diversity Heritage site

(GS Paper 3, Enviornment)

Why in news?

• The pristine Gupteswar Forest, adjacent to Gupteswar Shiva temple in Odisha’s Koraput district has been declared as the fourth Biodiversity-Heritage Site (BHS) of the state.
• The site is spread over 350 hectares of demarcated area. Along with its sacred grooves traditionally worshipped by the local community, the site is bestowed with a wide range of flora and fauna, the notification said.

Flora & Fauna:

• The biodiversity inventory and survey conducted by the Odisha Biodiversity Board shows the presence of at least 608 faunal species including 28 species of mammals, 188 species of birds, 18 species of amphibia, 48 species of reptiles, 45 species of pisces, 141 species of butterflies, 43 species of moths, 41 species of odonates, 30 species of spiders, six species of scorpion, and 20 species of lower invertebrates, it said.
• Significant faunal species like mugger crocodile, kanger valley rock gecko, sacred Grove Bush Frog, and avifauna like black baza, Jerdon’s baza, Malaber trogon, common hill myna, white-bellied woodpecker, and banded bay cuckoo and others have also been documented.
• The limestone caves of Gupteswar are adorned with eight species of bats out of the total 16 species found in southern Odisha.
• Among them, two species Hipposideros galeritus and Rhinolophus rouxii are under the near-threatened category of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
• This site also has a rich floral diversity embracing 182 species of trees, 76 species of shrubs, 177 species of herbs, 69 species of climbers, 14 species of orchids and threatened medicinal plants like Indian trumpet tree, Indian snakeroot, Cumbi gum tree, Garlic pear tree, Chinese fever vine, Rohituka tree, Jodpakli, Indian jointfir, a number of wild crop relatives of ginger and turmeric.

 

BHS in Odisha:

• Declaration of Gupteswar as BHS while boosting the cultural attachment of people with this forest will also lead to the conservation of its precious biodiversity.
• With this declaration, the state has now four BHSs. The other three are Mandasaru BHS in Kandhamala district, Mahendragiri BHS in Gajpati district, and Gandhamardan BHs in Bargarh and Bolangir districts.

 

Way Forward:

• The state government has asked the Odisha Biodiversity Board to prepare a long-term plan for intensive conservation and development of these sites through direct participation of the local communities.
• An amount of Rs 35 lakh has been provided for preparation of an action plan and awareness-building activities in the localities.