Jammu & Kashmir govt for grant of Scheduled Tribe status to Paharis

The Jammu and Kashmir government will vigorously pursue with the Centre the matter relating to grant of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to Pahari-speaking people of the state, social welfare minister Sakina Itoo said today.
       
She gave this assurance in the Legislative Council while replying to a discussion raised by NC member Mohammad Rashid Qureshi.
   
The minister said the demand for granting ST status to Pahari-speaking people was also projected by the then governor Lt Gen (Retd) KV Krishna Rao in 1993.
   
Even the state Legislature had passed a resolution in this regard, Itoo said.
       
She said the working groups, set up by prime minister Manmohan Singh, had also suggested grant of ST status to the Pahari-speaking people.
      
The minister said the state government would vigorously pursue the matter with the Union government.