RAJYA SABHA on Thursday passed a Bill to include Betta-Kuruba community along with Kadu-Kuruba in the list of Scheduled Tribes in Karnataka. The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2022 was passed through a voice vote. The Lok Sabha had on December 19 passed the Bill, which was piloted by Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda in the Upper House. The minister said the Bill seeks to provide justice to the Betta-Kuruba community of Karnataka, which has only about 5,000 members living in the southern state. “The state government of Karnataka has requested to include Betta-Kuruba community as a synonym of Kadu-Kuruba in entry 16 in the list of Scheduled Tribes of Karnataka,” Munda said in a statement of objects and reasons of the Bill. Responding to the issues raised by Opposition members, Munda said the Congress has not done anything for the welfare of the tribal community and is now shedding crocodile tears. Munda said the Narendra Modi government is trying to give justice to all sections of society. “Once the Bill is approved by Parliament and the rules are framed, the members of the Betta-Kuruba community will be entitled to all the benefits provided to the Scheduled Tribes, especially reservation in educational institutions and government jobs,” he added.
