The government has extended the last date for tribespeople to apply for land under the Forest Rights Act.
Minister for Environment and Forest Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said here on Monday that applications would be received till May 30.
Inaugurating a seminar organised by the Forest Department in connection with the ongoing Kaananasangamom, 2015, he said 25,000 applications had been disposed of. The remaining applications would be cleared in a time-bound manner.
The Minister said Kerala would become the first State to provide land to all tribespeople under the Forest Rights Act. Efforts were on to make the declaration by the next Independence Day. Steps had been taken to recognise the community forest rights of tribal forest dwellers.
A special cell would be constituted for the purpose.
Mr. Radhakrishnan said the government would introduce a one-time fee for registration of domesticated elephants in the State.
A special care home would be established for aged pachyderms.
Areas bordering forests would be provided with bio-fencing to keep wild elephants at bay.
Health scheme
The Minister added that a community health scheme would be introduced for tribal forest dwellers. Micro-water supply schemes would be implemented in tribal settlements.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests S.C. Joshi and Additional PCCF Meher Singh, Ganga Singh, and Juppidi Prasad also spoke.