The government is gearing up to implement the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Area (PESA) Act 1996, Forest Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has said.
An official release quoting him said the implementation of the Act was held up by the delay in issuing the scheduled area notification. Following discussions held with tribal organisations, the Cabinet had decided to implement the Act and the departments of Local Self-Government and Tribal Welfare had been entrusted with the responsibility, he added.
Reports refuted
Refuting reports that Kerala was among the States that had failed to implement the Forest Rights Act 2006, the Minister said 24,621 applicants had been issued rights to forestland.
As many as 121 tribespeople had been given the right to collect forest produce and another 211 would be issued documents soon.
Mr.Radhakrishnan said the government had released 72 hectares of forestland for the development of tribal settlements.
Besides, he said, title deeds had been issued for 1,549 hectares of forestland and forest rights documents for another 979 hectares under a scheme to rehabilitate landless families.
The government had also decided to seek the consent of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to identify more forestland to be given in lieu of the uninhabitable land distributed under the scheme.
Mr.Radhakrishnan said the government was also formulating targeted projects for the development of 725 tribal settlements.
He added that the State had registered its protest over the recommendation of the T.S.R. Subramaniam committee to dilute the Forest Rights Act. — Special Correspondent
