Guwahati, Nov 27: The Asaam Cabinet has approved the recommendation of the Group of Ministers (GoM) to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities in the state. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the decision after the cabinet meeting on Wednesday. The communities identified for inclusion are Tai Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Motok, Koch-Rajbongshi, and Tea Tribes (Adivasis), who have been seeking ST recognition for several years.

According to the government, the GoM comprising Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika, and IT Minister Keshab Mahanta submitted its report to the Tribal Affairs Department. The department is expected to place the proposal before the state assembly before the conclusion of the ongoing winter session on Saturday.

In another decision, the cabinet approved the transfer of 99 acres of land from the Handloom, Textiles, and Sericulture Department to the Cultural Affairs Department for establishing a state-of-the-art museum. The proposed museum will showcase the historic ‘Vrindavani Vastra,’ a 16th-century silk textile depicting episodes from the life of Lord Krishna. The textile, created under the guidance of Assamese cultural figure Srimanta Sankardeva and commissioned by Koch king Nara Narayan, has been loaned by the British Museum in London.

The museum initiative is supported by JSW I&P Holdings Pvt Ltd under its Corporate Social Responsibility programme, with the objective of preserving and promoting Asaam’s cultural heritage.