Cabinet decides on ST status for 'Narikuravas' of TN

The Centre has taken a favourable decision on the demand for enlisting Narikuravas, a gypsy community living in Tamil Nadu, in the Scheduled Tribes list, Shipping Minister G K Vasan said here today.
"On the request made by the Narikurava community to enlist them in the ST list of the Centre, the Cabinet had taken a decision favourable to them in its meeting last month," Vasan told reporters here.
Earlier, he met fishermen from Tamil Nadu, who demanded that boats secured by the Sri Lankan naval personnel be returned to them at the earliest.
"Once External Affairs Minister is back from his foreign visit, I would insist him to take steps so that boats are returned to the fishermen by the Sri Lankan government."

To a query on the political alliance in Tamil Nadu for the general elections in 2014, he said, "Congress is facing five Assembly polls in the country. So, our focus is on that. Needless to say, we aim to win all of them. Side by side, we are strengthening our party in other states also."
"We will take stock of the situation in December and accordingly decisions would be taken to form a strong secular alliance for the polls," he said.