CM: 1.60 lakh Hattees to benefit from order

Shimla, January 1

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said he would go to Nahan on January 3 to formally announce the grant of the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Hattee community of the Trans-Giri area of Sirmaur district.

He added that about 1.60 lakh Hattees, residing in 95 villages of 58 gram panchayats in the four Assembly segments of Shillai, Renukaji, Pachhad and Paonta Sahib of Sirmour district, stand to benefit from the order.

Sukhu, while addressing mediapersons here, said the government had always said it would issue the notification in this regard within 24 hours after the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs gave certain clarifications regarding the exclusion of people belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) category. “The clarification was received on December 30 and yesterday being a holiday, we issued the notification today morning, honouring our commitment,” he added.

He interacted with a delegation of the Hattee Community of Sirmaur district. He said that the state Law Department had sought clarifications from the Central Government in September and got the reply on December 30. Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan and various representatives of the Hattee community were also present on the occasion.

Now with today’s notification, the Hattee people would also be included in the list of communities that are entitled to the ST status benefits like in admission to educational institutions as well as in government jobs.