Maharashtra forms 27-member panel to examine converted STs's government benefits
Maharashtra has formed a 27-member panel to examine whether Scheduled Tribe (ST) members who convert to another religion should continue to receive reservation and other government benefits, and recommend a policy.
Announced on July 16, the committee, led by Tribal Development Minister Ashok Uike, will look at what the Constitution says and check how other states handle this.
There is no set deadline for its findings yet.
Conversion concerns spark state assembly debate
This comes as debates heat up over whether converted STs should keep these benefits.
Some groups argue that only those following traditional tribal customs deserve them, especially after calls earlier this year to remove Christians and Muslims from the ST category.
In Maharashtra, about 9.35% of people are STs, with most identifying as Hindu, but concerns around conversions have sparked fresh discussions in the state assembly.