Recently, Parliament has discussed inclusion of various communities in Scheduled Tribes (ST) lists of Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh and Odisha as recommended by Panda Task force.
About Panda Task Force: It was constituted in February 2014 under the leadership of erstwhile Tribal Affairs Secretary Hrusikesh Panda. It had compiled a comprehensive list of over 40 communities from across the country that it felt should be included in ST lists on a priority basis.
