The Girijan Aikya Vedika on Saturday demanded that the State Government set up a commission to delve into the issue of including 554 villages in Scheduled Areas.
Vedika president O. Rama Murthy said that several important laws relating to land rights, Forest Rights Act and Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act were implemented in scheduled areas till now. “It is not clear how they would be implemented in villages proposed to be included and the population that would be brought under scheduled areas,” Mr. Rama Murthy said.
The government should appoint a Commission for a comprehensive study and key decisions should be taken based on its report, he said at a press conference which was also attended by district president L. Chittibabu.
The Tribes Advisory Council, at its recent meeting, passed a resolution for considering changing the status of the 554 villages. Mr. Rama Murthy also opposed the proposal of the previous regime to include the Valmiki Boya community in the list of Scheduled Tribes.
The Vedika demanded that the backlog posts in Girijan Co-operative Corporation, VMRDA, GVMC and ITDAs be filled. Mr. Rama Murthy said that in GCC alone, there were around 750 vacancies.
Backs govt. move
“In tribal organisations, apart from politicians, social workers should be appointed in nominated posts. The corporator quota for STs was four in the erstwhile municipal corporation but was reduced to one after it became GVMC. Proportionate quota should be given,” Mr. Rama Murthy demanded.
The Vedika backed the YSRCP Government’s proposal to introduce English-medium at various levels in schools and said that it would help tribals advance in education and do well in All-India services and professional courses. It also recalled the GO No.97 on bauxite mining that was put on hold by the TDP Government but was revoked by the YSRCP Government.
