Definitions

(d) "Scheduled Tribes" means such Tribes or Tribal communities or parts of, or groups within, such Tribes or Tribal communities as are deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in relation to the State of Maharashtra under article 342 of the Constitution of India; and persons who belong to the Tribes or Tribal communities, or parts of, or groups within, Tribes or Tribal communities, specified in Part VII-A of the Schedule to the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 made under the said article 342, but who are not residents in the localities specified in that Order and who nevertheless need the protection of this Act (and it is hereby declared that they do need such protection) shall, for the purposes of this Act, be treated in the same manner as members of the Scheduled Tribes; (e) "Tribal" means a person belonging to a Scheduled Tribe and includes his successor in interest who is also a Tribal; (f) "Tribal area" means the Scheduled areas and such other areas in the State as the State Government may, from time to time, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify, regard being had to the population of the Tribals in any such area, or to the area where steps have been taken or are proposed to be taken for the improvement of the economic condition of the Tribals and such other factors as the State Government may think fit; Explanation.—(1) "Scheduled Areas" means the areas within the State of Maharashtra declared to be Scheduled Areas by the Scheduled Areas (Part A States) Order, 1950, or as the case may be, the Scheduled Areas (Part B States) Order, 1950 (each such order for the time being in force) made under sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 6 of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of India; (2) "population" means the population as ascertained in the last preceding census of which the relevant figures, whether provisional or final, have been published; (g) "Tribal Authority" means the officer appointed for the time being to be the Tribal Commissioner for the State, and includes any officer appointed by the State Government to perform the duties of the Tribal Authority under all or any of the provisions of this Act; (h) words and expressions used in this Act but not defined herein shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the Maharashtra Debt Relief Act, 1975.