Assam scraps two-child norm for tribals, tea tribes, morans and motoks

The Assam government on October 23 announced the exemption of tribals, tea tribes, Morans, and Motoks from the two-child policy for government jobs, aiming to protect these communities from gradual extinction.

Addressing a press conference after chairing the state cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “The cabinet decided to exempt members of the tea tribes, Morans, Motok, and Scheduled Tribes from the provision restricting the number of children to two under the population policy. If we stick to the policy, these populations will lose their distinct identities and gradually become extinct in the next 50 years.”

Sarma noted that the Moran community’s population is estimated at just around one lakh, and social scientists advised that relaxing the two-child norm was essential for the survival of these micro communities. The CM reiterated that the two-child policy, which came into effect in January 2021 under the Assam Public Services Rules, 2019, will continue to apply to other communities.

The CM also announced that the government will gradually implement the two-child policy for availing benefits under specific state welfare schemes but will not enforce it for these indigenous groups to ensure their preservation.

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On other cabinet decisions, Sarma said the Tiwari Commission Report on the 1983 Nellie massacre will be tabled in the upcoming assembly session in November. “This report has not been tabled so far because the copy with the Assam government did not have the signature of the commission chairman. We verified it through interviews with officials of that period and forensic checks,” he added.

The CM also highlighted plans to amend the Land Ceiling Act to distribute 2.9 lakh bighas (nearly 96,000 acres) of land among four lakh tea tribe families, describing it as a major social development initiative.

In addition, the cabinet approved an increase in the project cost of Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd’s 500 TPD Methanol plant and 200 TPD Formalin unit from Rs 1,709.18 crore to Rs 2,267.22 crore, including additional equity contribution from the state government.

This move by the Assam government marks a significant step toward preserving the identity and livelihood of vulnerable indigenous communities while continuing broader development initiatives.