Ladakh may get autonomous tribal councils if NCST plan is accepted

NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes has recommended that the Union Territory of Ladakh be included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. If the recommendation made to the home and tribal affairs ministries is accepted, tribes in the UTs will secure the right to constitute autonomous district councils and regional councils that have powers to legislate on issues of local importance. Such laws will, however, require the lieutenant governor’s assent.

Tribal councils in states under Schedule VI have powers to legislate on subjects such as roads, bridges, primary and secondary education, animal husbandry, fisheries, social security, employment, minor irrigation and public health. The NCST recommendation was made on Wednesday at a full commission meeting after three meetings with ministries of home, tribal affairs and law and justice. If included, Ladakh will be the only UT in the Sixth Schedule. Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya are in the Sixth Schedule. Bestowing the status to Ladakh would require a constitutional amendment. NCST, a statutory constitutional body to safeguard socio-cultural rights of Scheduled Tribes, was entrusted with the responsibility of examining the status of tribals in Ladakh by the Centre.

The NCST held detailed deliberations on the percentage of tribal population in Ladakh before making the recommendation. Scheduled Tribes account for 66.8% in Leh, 73.35% in Nubra, 97.05% in Khalsti, 83.49% in Kargil, 89.96% in Sanku and 99.16% in Zanskar. “Overall, the tribal population of Ladakh is 97%. The step would go a long way in addressing aspirations of the tribal people,” an NCST official said.
The NCST said the autonomous district councils of Mizoram, when it was a UT, had helped in mitigating the genuine aspirations of people. Inclusion of Ladakh in Schedule VI would help in democratic devolution of powers, promotion of distinct culture of the region, protection of agrarian rights, including rights on land and enhancement of transfer of funds for speedy development of the UT. The primary STs in Ladakh are Balti Beda, Bot (or Boto), Brokpa (or Drokpa, Dard, Shin), Changpa, Garra, Mon and Purigpa.