Maharashtra Forms 27-Member Panel To Examine ST Benefits And Reservations After Religious Conversion
Maharashtra government formed a 27-member high-level committee to examine whether Scheduled Tribes members should continue receiving government benefits and reservations after religious conversion. The panel will review Central and state laws before recommending a policy.
Maharashtra Forms 27-Member Panel To Examine ST Benefits And Reservations After Religious Conversion | AI
The Maharashtra government has constituted a 27-member high-level committee to examine whether members of the Scheduled Tribes (ST) community should continue receiving government benefits and reservations after converting to another religion. The panel will study existing Central and state laws before recommending a comprehensive policy for Maharashtra. The Tribal Development Department has issued a Government Resolution (GR) announcing the committee.
Political Background
The decision follows a heated discussion during the 2025 Monsoon Session of the Maharashtra Legislature, when BJP MLA Anupbhaiya Agrawal and other legislators raised the issue of alleged religious conversions in Navapur taluka of Nandurbar district. The members alleged that tribal communities were being converted through inducements by Christian missionaries and associated organisations and demanded that tribal welfare benefits be withdrawn after conversion.
Responding to the debate, the then Revenue Minister, who also held charge of the Tribal Development Department, had assured the House that a committee comprising Scheduled Tribe legislators would be formed to examine the issue. The newly constituted panel fulfils that assurance.
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Committee Composition
Tribal Development Minister Prof. Dr. Ashok Uike will chair the committee, while Minister of State Indranil Naik will serve as Vice-Chairman. The panel also includes Minister Narhari Zirwal, MLAs Dharmaraobaba Atram, Dr. Vijaykumar Gavit, Amshya Padvi, Manjula Gavit, and a total of 22 legislators representing Scheduled Tribes. The Commissioner of Tribal Research and Training Institute (TRTI), Pune, has been designated as the Member Secretary.
The committee is expected to undertake a detailed legal and policy review before submitting recommendations that could shape Maharashtra's future policy on the continuation of ST benefits following religious conversion.
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