NEW DELHI, May 4 - Clarifying that grant of Schedule Tribe (ST) to the six communities is being processed, the Centre has, however, denied that it is considering any proposal to accord the same within a specific time-frame.
�No, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has not declared that the issue of giving ST status to six ethnic groups of Assam, including Koch-Rajbongshis, Chutias, Tai Ahoms, Morans, Motoks and Tea Tribes, will be done within six months.�
�The Government of India has laid-down modalities for inclusion in, exclusion from and modification in the Orders specifying list of STs. According to these modalities, proposals for inclusion of the above six ethnic groups of Assam has been processed,� Minister of Tribal Affairs Jual Oram said in a Rajya Sabha reply to a question by Ripun Bora.
