Minister for Social Welfare H. Anjaneya on Friday said a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister would soon be convened to resolve issues with regard to the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
He was speaking at the opening of Haadi Vaastavya (stay at tribal hamlet) at Kerekadu, Padupanambur gram panchayat here.
Mr. Anjaneya said vexed issues of title deeds to forest dwellers and other issues could be resolved during the meeting. It would be attended by people's representatives and officials of districts largely inhabited by tribal people.
The Minister said he would interact with Koraga tribesmen of Kerekadu during the day and announce a package on Saturday. He would like to continue Haadi Vaastavya in all districts.
District in-charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai said legislations are for the benefit of people. He said when he assumed the office as the Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology, only about 17 per cent of dwellers had submitted applications for regularisation.
On the vexatious Kumki land (government land abutting agricultural land being used by the agriculturist for ancillary activities), Mr. Rai said the government cannot tolerate land lords holding on to vast extents of Kumki land. Such lands need to be distributed to the landless and homeless. He asked the Deputy Commissioner to take possession of such lands and distribute them to the needy.
