Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday announced that his government is looking upon the odds on granting permanent residential certificates (PRC) to six Non-Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (APST) communities residing in Namsai district.
Khandu, who was addressing a public meeting at Vijaynagar on the sidelines of his two-month-long Arunachal Rising campaign, said, “The matter is being discussed and a sub-committee under Environment and Forests minister Nabam Rebia will be finalizing its report soon for its solution.”
Representatives from a number of communities including Deoris, Sonowal Kacharis, and Mishing that are not recognized as Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the State have been demanding that they should be provided with PRCs as they have been living in the State for decades. Most of these communities are recognized as Scheduled Tribe communities in Assam.
Meanwhile, for ex-servicemen and their families from the Gorkha community who settled in Vijaynagar during 1960s, the chief minister promised to issue PRCs to them by January 1 next year.
He thanked the community for their contribution towards the country and for safeguarding its territory through their presence in such remote area.
Khandu also disclosed that the State government has approved the Yobin community their scheduled tribe status and has been issuing ST certificates to the community.
He on the occasion gave away ST certificates to two Yobin community members.
The chief minister further said the matter is being taken up with the Centre for formal recognition and informed the issue is likely to come up in the winter session of parliament for final approval by the central government.