NT Reporter
Panaji
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said that the state government has already urged the Centre to expedite the implementation of Scheduled Tribe (ST) reservation in Goa, assuring that personal efforts to resolve the issue are ongoing.
Speaking to reporters, Sawant expressed confidence that the central government will move forward with the proposal once necessary legal and procedural verifications are complete, adding hope that a resolution will be reached soon.
Echoing this optimism, Minister for Tribal Welfare and ST leader Ramesh Tawadkar set a one-month timeline for the implementation, stating that he is confident that the issue will be resolved within the next 15 to 30 days. Tawadkar said that regular follow-ups are under way, with both, the Chief Minister and state Bharatiya Janata Party president Damu Naik personally monitoring the progress.
Tawadkar reiterated the government’s commitment to restoring political reservation for Scheduled Tribes and bringing clarity to a matter that has lingered unresolved for years.
Despite the government’s assurances, tribal organisations have decided to intensify their campaign, arguing that the implementation process has faced delays. Scheduled Tribe leaders from Goa have announced a mega protest on August 13 to press for political reservation in the state assembly. The demonstration will mark exactly one year since the President gave assent to the parliamentary legislation regarding ST political reservation.
