News Highlight
The Jharkhand cabinet approved the long pending demand of Adivasi Moolvasis (original inhabitants) to make 1932 the cutoff year for domicile.
Key Takeaway
- The approval was under the title ‘Jharkhand Definition of Local Persons and for Extending the Consequential, Social, Cultural and Other Benefits of such Local Persons Bill, 2022.
Jharkhand domicile policy
- About
- As per the Bill, a local will be a person whose name or his ancestors’ name is recorded in the survey/khatiyan of 1932 or before.
- In the case of landless persons, local persons shall be identified by the Gram Sabhas based on the culture, local customs and tradition, among others.
- Why 1932?:
- The draft Bill says that living conditions, customs, traditions, and social development of the moolwasis and people from tribal communities, have been negatively impacted due to pre and post-1932 migration of people from other states to Jharkhand (erstwhile Bihar).
- The definition of local persons is based on this fact.
- The benefits will locals get:
- The locals will receive certain rights like preferential treatment
- Over their land.
- In their stake in the local development of the rivers and lakes.
- In local traditional and cultural and commercial enterprises.
- In their rights over agricultural indebtedness or availing agricultural loans.
- In social security.
- In case of employment both in the private and public sector; and for trade and commerce in the state.
- The locals will receive certain rights like preferential treatment
- A legal challenge of the bill:
- Assembly session and then sent to the Centre with a proposal to place it in the ninth schedule of the Constitution to avoid judicial scrutiny.
- The Ninth Schedule of the Constitution contains a list of central and state laws which cannot be challenged in courts. However, the courts in the past have said that it can be reviewed if it violates the fundamental rights or the basic structure of the Constitution.
Jharkhand
- Jharkhand is a state in eastern India.
- It was created in 2000, from what was previously the southern half of Bihar.
- Hindi is the official language of the state.
- The city of Ranchi is its capital and Dumka is its sub-capital.
- Border:
- Bihar-North
- Uttar Pradesh-North West
- Chhattisgarh-South West
- Odisha-South
- West Bengal-East
Content Source: The Hindu