Raipur, Chhattisgarh: To resolve the ongoing dispute regarding the reservation of tribals in Chhattisgarh, the state government has constituted a five-member study team headed by three IAS officers. IAS Shammi Abidi will go to Maharashtra, IAS P Anbalagan will go to Tamil Nadu and IAS Bhim Singh will go to Karnataka with their respective teams. 

This team will collect relevant information regarding the provisions of reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and Economically Weaker (EWS) sections. It will submit the report to the Quantifiable Data Commission.

After the decision given by the High Court regarding reservation on September 19, the reservation of Scheduled Tribes in the state has come down from 32 percent to 20 percent. The tribal society is opposing it. The political rife between Congress and BJP is also going on in the state. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Governor Anusuiya Uikey are trying to resolve the dispute of the tribal society. It is said that the government will take a decision on the basis of the report of the three study groups.

Under the leadership of IAS and the Commissioner of the Tribal Welfare Department, Shammi Abidi, the team going to Maharashtra includes SK Singh, Secretary of the General Administration Department, Pragyan Seth, Deputy Commissioner of Tribal Development Department, retired District and Sessions Judge and social worker RV Singh and retired IPS and social worker Bharat Singh included.

Under the leadership of IAS and the Secretary of the Water Resources Department, P. Anbalagan, the team going to Tamil Nadu includes Anshika Pandey, Secretary of the General Administration Department, Sanjay Gaurav, Director of Tribal Welfare Department, retired IAS and social worker BL Thakur and retired IAS and social worker GS Dhananjay.

Under the leadership of IAS and Health Department Director Bhim Singh, the team going to Karnataka includes Pulak Bhattacharya,  Secretary General of the Administration Department, AR Navrang, Additional Director of Tribal Department, retired IAS and social worker LL Nayak and retired IFS Vikram Lakra.