Scheduled Tribes Conference
Raipur, 25 March 2023
Commercial Taxes (Excise) and Industries Minister Mr. Kawasi Lakhma while addressing the Scheduled Tribes Conference said that with social unity, work for social reform and work unitedly to strengthen the PESA law in the interest of the society. Shri Lakhma was addressing the Scheduled Tribes Convention organized by the Chhattisgarh State Scheduled Tribes Commission at Shaheed Smarak Bhavan in Raipur today.
Minister Shri Lakhma said that PESA Act was implemented in the state last year on the occasion of World Tribal Day. PESA law has an early age in the state. Give suggestions to the Scheduled Tribes Commission for its improvement along with social unity in the interest of the tribal society. The commission will work to convey their suggestions to the government. He said that in the interest of the tribal society, the government has tried to ensure that local residents of the society get government jobs in the tribal areas. The government has made arrangements for reservation for the tribal society for recruitment in government jobs. Funds are being sanctioned by the government for the construction of Devguri and Ghotul for tribal culture and social protection. Shri Lakhma said that the dream of Mahatma Gandhi’s Gram Swaraj and Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi’s Panchayati Raj will be fulfilled only through village development. In the Panchayati Raj system, only the Sarpanch can develop the village. He said that social awareness
While presiding over the conference, Food and Civil Supplies and Culture Minister Shri Amarjeet Bhagat said that an account of the progress of its works is presented in the annual session of the Commission. He said that the tribal society has many challenges. After the independence of the country, to give equal status to the tribals, reservation in education and government jobs was given an opportunity.
Chhattisgarh State Scheduled Tribe President Shri Bhanupratap Singh said that the Commission is continuously working as a watchdog to protect the constitutional interests of the Scheduled Tribes in the state. Taking cognizance of the applications and complaints received after taking charge as the Chairman of the Commission, camps were held in the Commission’s office and districts, due to which the victims of the Scheduled Tribes got justice. In the financial year 2022-23, in the month of February 2023, 1728 cases are registered, whose cases are being resolved on regular hearing. On 01 and 02 December 2021, a workshop was organized by the commission for tribal community leaders and experts in connection with the Chhattisgarh Gram Panchayat Provisions (Extension of Scheduled Areas Rule-1996) (PESA Act).
The officers of the Commission visit the districts and meet the people of the society and after being aware of their problems, efforts are made to solve them. Along with this, cases are being resolved by regular hearing. He told that 98 tribal families of Sukma district of Bastar division had left their homes and migrated to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states due to the Salwa Judum movement. He was urged by the Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel on behalf of the commission to make forest land patta and caste certificate in his native place in Chhattisgarh, which was agreed by him.
In relation to PESA Act and rules in the conference, Mr. Ashwani Kange, Mr. Prakhar Jain, on the subject of caste certificate, Deputy Director Tribal Welfare Mr. A.R. Information was given by subject experts regarding Navrang, Forest Rights Act and departmental schemes. In the conference, Vice President State Scheduled Tribes Commission Dr. Ms. Rajkumari Diwan, members Sarvashri Nitin Potai, Shri Ganesh Singh Dhruv and Smt. Archana Porte, former President of Sarva Adivasi Samaj Shri V.P.S. The office bearers of the society including Netam and a large number of indigenous brothers were present.
