Naga assembly passes backward tribes bill

The Nagaland Assembly today passed the Nagaland Backward Tribes Commission Bill 2016 to establish a commission for backward tribes in the State to safeguard their rights.
The Commission would focus on the six backward tribes of Eastern Nagaland - Chang, Khimaniungan, Konyak, Phom, Sangtam and Yimchungru belonging to Longleng, Kiphire, Mon and Tuensang districts.
The bill, which was presented yesterday by the Chief Minister Zeliang, was today passed by voice vote.
In the statement of objects and reasons, Zeliang said that the Bill was necessary with a view to establish an effective mechanism for safeguarding the rights of backward tribes of Nagaland with regard to implementation of policy of reservation of posts for them and to make recommendations on development, education, employment and health aspects of the backward tribes is considered.

The State Government by notification would constitute a body, called Nagaland Backward Tribes Commission to study and make recommendations on educational, employment and health aspects pertaining to them.
Clarifying the queries of Members of the House, the Chief Minister said that the Bill was based on the memorandum submitted to the Government by Eastern Naga Students' Federation, as they had expressed that many government departments were not implementing the 25 per cent reservation of government job granted to the people of the four districts.
However, he also said that the Commission would also look into the problems of other backward tribes in the state.