Bhopal, August 25: (Pervez Bari): Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Kantilal Bhuria has expressed satisfaction on the progress of implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (recognition of rights) Act in Madhya Pradesh. He has asked to complete the work by December 2009. At a review meeting held in this regard here today the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the state government has been serious about implementation of this law right from the beginning. He announced that the rejected claims would be re-examined. The state government is concerned about it and would ensure that every eligible person gets the title deed, an official spokesman said.
Bhuria said that the President in her address to the Parliament had desired to complete the distribution of title deeds at the earliest possible to the tribals and other forest dwellers. In pursuance of this, he said, he and his Minister of State have been visiting the different states along with the officers concerned to review the progress. He has begun this process from Madhya Pradesh. He expressed satisfaction over the progress in Madhya Pradesh. He, however, stressed the need to further accelerate the pace to complete it soon. He wished Madhya Pradesh to lead the country in this regard.
Bhuria desired that a campaign should be launched to complete the work and hoped that due to the keen interest of the Chief Minister Chouhan and his activeness for this the work would be completed by December 2009. Bhuria undertook an in-depth review of the work for over three and half hours and expressed satisfaction, the spokesman stated.
The Chief Minister, while analyzing the report presented to Bhuria, said that Madhya Pradesh is leading the country in implementation of this law. He said that in addition to distributing the title deeds the state government has taken measures to improve the economic lot of the beneficiaries. It has been linked to NREGS and assistance for wells is being provided to the poor belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes under Kapildhara scheme. Similarly, assistance is being provided for embankment and other agricultural works to make agriculture profitable. Benefits under other schemes are also being provided to these beneficiaries.
Chouhan announced that the claims rejected for various reasons would be re-examined. The government intends to ensure that no eligible person occupying the forest lands till December 2005 should not be deprived of title deeds. Even fresh applications would be received and title deeds would be given to eligible persons. He said that the target of the central and state government is the same and the law would be implemented in right earnest.
Madhya Pradesh Minister for Tribal Welfare Jaggannath Singh informed that title deeds have already been distributed to 38, 284 eligible claimants. Distribution of the same to another 34,573 persons would be completed soon. In many districts the action for implementation of the law is still
continuing, so the number of beneficiaries would increase. He informed that 2 lakh 12 claims had been rejected out of 2.85 lakh claims decided by district level committees, for non-fulfillment of prescribed norms.
Minister of State for Tribal Welfare Harishankar Khatik said that implementation of the Act had been monitored on the field in the state. He has been visiting different districts to review progress of the work.
Union Secretary Gautam Budha Mukherji; Director Dr. A.K. Shrivastava; Additional Chief Secretary Prashant Mehta; Principal Secretary Devraj Birdi and PCCF A.K. Dube also attended the meeting. (pervezbari@eth.net)