ITANAGAR, Sept 5: The matter of reserving one MLA seat and
two zila parishad members (ZPMs) from the Puroik community
in Arunachal Pradesh, as per the directive of the high court in
2015, is under process, social justice & empowerment and
tribal affairs (SJETA) minister Alo Libang told the assembly on
Tuesday.
In response to a written question by Congress legislator Nabam
Tuki, the minister said there is no demand from the Puroik
community for granting a separate tribe status and it is a sub-
tribe of the Nyshi.
Puroik, earlier known as ‘Sulung’ (slave), with an estimated
population of 8,977 as per 2017 data, is mainly found in East
Kameng, Pakke Kessang, West Kameng, Kurung Kumey, Kra
Daadi and Papum Pare districts.
The minister informed that the department has kept a fund
provision of Rs 10 lakh under livelihood generation activities
during the current fiscal for enumeration and compilation of
latest population of Puroik community through deputy
commissioners of six inhabited districts.
After the cabinet approval in 2017, the state government had
constituted the Autonomous Puroik Welfare Board (APWB) and
since then an amount of Rs 769 lakh was sanctioned to it to
undertake various welfare projects for the community, Libang
said.
Bopai Puroik is the first from the community to be appointed as
an extra assistant commissioner (EAC). (PTI)
