Panaji: Leaders representing the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community in Goa on Monday met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, urging him to “fast-track” the process of implementing political reservation for their community.
The delegation, comprising United Tribal Alliance Association (UTAA) President Prakash Velip, Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Ganesh Gaonkar, State Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, and MLA Govind Gaude, met Sawant at his official residence here.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Gaude said they had urged the Chief Minister to fast-track the process of implementing political reservation for the ST community in the Goa Legislative Assembly.
The Union Law Ministry recently issued a notification paving the way for political reservation for Scheduled Tribes in Goa.
Gaude said the notification was the first step, while the government would have to complete the remaining procedures to ensure that the reservation becomes a reality.
The MLA said the Chief Minister had been asked to ensure that the subsequent process is expedited.
UTAA chief Prakash Velip said that tribals will hold a convention in Panaji on August 13 to review the issue.
He said that the scheduled protest march by UTAA in Panaji would be converted into a convention on August 13.
Velip said that the ST leaders have full faith that the government will fulfil its promise of reserving Assembly constituencies for the ST community.
