VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the state government would soon hold discussions with tribal organisations on issues concerning tribal communities, including employment opportunities for local candidates and the implementation of safeguards under G.O. No. 3.
Reviewing tribal welfare and development programmes with officials at the Secretariat on Monday, the Chief Minister said the government accords the highest priority to protecting tribal rights and assured that tribal communities need not have any apprehensions on the issue.
The meeting reviewed the Supreme Court’s 2020 judgment striking down G.O. No. 3, which had provided 100 per cent reservation in government jobs in Scheduled Areas for local tribal candidates. Naidu said the order, introduced in 2000 in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, remained in force for nearly two decades before it was set aside by the Apex Court. He alleged that the previous government had failed to effectively defend the order before the Supreme Court, resulting in the loss of benefits enjoyed by tribal communities.
He said that the coalition government is examining all available legal alternatives to ensure that the objectives of G.O. No. 3 can be achieved within the framework of the Supreme Court’s judgment.
The Chief Minister directed officials to invite tribal organisations for the meeting.