The inclusion helps bring similarity in the facilities available to tribal groups. For instance, as a noted researcher in tribal studies and anthropologist, AB Ota pointed out, the Konda Reddy community was recognised as ST in Andhra Pradesh, but treated as a socially and educationally backward class in the Malkangiri district of Odisha. “Same was the case of Muka Doras who were regarded as tribals in Andhra Pradesh, but not in Odisha,” said Ota. The inclusion of these groups in the ST list was long overdue, he added. 

Furthermore, there are many in the list that have synonymous tribal names.

“We had sent a proposal to include 160 tribes under the existing 62 tribes due to phonetic similarities with the existing tribes as well as synonyms of tribes that were already on the list. From the list that we had sent, about two dozen tribes have been included. This would correct a lot of historical mistakes and allow people of that sub-tribe to avail government facilities, like scholarships for children, reservation in government jobs etc,” Odisha SC/ST development secretary Roopa Roshan Sahu said.

Four particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTG) have also been added to the schedule of Odisha — Pauri Bhuyan, Paudi Bhuyan (whose synonyms Bhuiya, Bhuyan are already in the list); Chuktia Bhunjia (synonym Bhunjia already in the list); Bondo (as sub-entry under Bondo Poraja, Bonda Paroja, Banda Paroja); and Mankidia (as a synonym of Mankirdia, already in the list).

“Through this amendment, the four PVTGs and more than 50 sub-tribes will get their Constitutional rights, which they have been denied for the last 75 years. But we have a long way to go,” she said.

With more than 6 million tribals, accounting for more than 23% of the population of the state, Odisha has one of the highest percentages of tribals in India.

In 2014, the Konda Reddy community boycotted the polls demanding their inclusion in the ST list. The community leaders alleged that while some people of the community, who settled down in Andhra Pradesh prior to the separation of Odisha from Madras Presidency of Visakhapatnam district in 1936, got ST status by the Andhra Pradesh government, tribals of the same community residing in Malkangiri were not included in the ST category. As a result, they were unable to avail any of the benefits. The resentment of the Konda Reddy community also fanned the support for Maoists in the Malkangiri area.