71 per cent claims under Forest Rights Act rejected in M.P. : Opposition

The opposition Congress party has accused the State Government of mismanagement of central funds and faulty implementation of The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.

In a petition submitted to governor Rameshwar Thakur, the party has alleged that out of the 3,91,785 claims received by committees at various levels, the State Government has dismissed 2,41,341 claims, which is a staggering 71 per cent of the total claims received.

The party also raised the issue of claim forms not being made available to ‘adivasis’ at the Panchayat level and (vanadhikaar samiti) local Forest Rights Committees not being imparted the required training.

The issue of maps, nistaar patraks and other land record documents not being provided to the committees was also raised.

In January this year, The Hindu had reported irregularities in the implementation of the act in the tribal dominated Dindori district of the state, including withholding of important land record documents like the waajib-ul-arz and sale of claim forms to adivasis by the authorities concerned.

The party also alleged under utilization of central funds by the State Government. It alleged that the state Public Works Department has been able to utilize only 50 per cent of the central funds earmarked for development of roads in tribal areas.