Raipur 9 September 2021. On the occasion of World Tribal Day, two new records were set in Chhattisgarh today. On the special initiative of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, for the first time in the country, distribution of Community Forest Resource Rights Recognition Letters to tribal communities living in urban areas and villages in core area of Tiger Reserve started. In a program organized at his residence office here today, Chief Minister Shri Nathlu Ram Markam, Chairman of Forest Rights Committee of village Karahi in core area of Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve, Shri Birbal Padmakar, President of Village Joratarai and Chairman of Forest Rights Committee of Village Masulkhoi, Shri. Provided community forest resource rights to Himmat Singh Netam. Along with this, recognition letters of community forest resource rights were also given to the Gram Sabhas of Baroli and Bahigaon in the core area of Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve. By combining these, 14 Gram Sabhas of 5 villages of the core area,
Similarly, for the first time in the country, the beginning of giving rights over the forests to the tribal community living in the cities of the state was started today from the Nagar Panchayat Nagari of Dhamtari district. This nagar panchayat was made up of three villages – Churiara, Tumbahra and Nagri, where these three have been given community forest resource rights over a total of 10 thousand 200 acres of forest today. Along with this, a total of 700 villages of Chhattisgarh were given the right of community forest resource today. Of these, 150 villages in Surajpur alone and 143 villages in Kanker district are included. Apart from this, 9 individual forest rights papers were also given in different urban areas in the program.
Earlier, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel offered prayers to Budhadev and Maa Danteshwari and inaugurated the program by garlanding the portrait of Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh. On this occasion, Home Minister Shri Tamradhwaj Sahu, Tribal Development Minister Dr. Premsai Singh Tekam, Forest Minister Shri Mohammad Akbar, Culture Minister Shri Amarjit Bhagat, Advisor to Chief Minister Shri Rajesh Tiwari, Parliamentary Secretary Shri Dwarkadhish Yadav, Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister Shri Subrata Sahu, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief of Forest Force Shri Rakesh Chaturvedi, Secretary Tribal Development Department Shri DD Singh and Commissioner Tribal Development Department Smt. Shammi Abidi were present on the occasion. Folk dancers from the city gave an attractive presentation of Mandari dance. The Chief Minister encouraged them by joining the dancers’ team.
The Chief Minister said in the program that ensuring the right of local communities on all kinds of local resources including water, forest and land and raising their standard of living is our top priority. The state government is taking continuous steps towards the cultural development of tribal communities as well as their socio-economic development. Due to the efforts made in the last two and a half years, a new wind of self-reliance is blowing in the tribal areas. Today is associated with self-respect, pride, culture and dreams of about 31 percent tribal population of the state. World Tribal Day is a big festival for us, that is why a government holiday has been given on this day, so that the entire family of tribal brothers can join this festival together. He said that the rights of tribal communities have expanded from pastures and water bodies to forest produce in rural forest areas of Chhattisgarh. They are now more easily engaged in farming, animal husbandry, fisheries, Lakhs are living by producing, collecting forest produce. Tribals cultivating on forest land are now getting the benefits of government schemes and facilities like common farmers.
The Chief Minister said that we are moving forward with the principle of trust, development and security. He gave detailed information about the schemes implemented by the state government in the interest of tribals and farmers. He said that by taking the decision to return 4200 acres of land to the displaced farmers for the steel plant of Lohandiguda area, we started delivering justice to the tribal communities. Similarly, the Forest Rights Act is being implemented effectively. So far, more than 04 lakh 41 thousand individual-pattas and more than 46 thousand community-pattas have been distributed. For the first time in the state, Gram Sabhas have also got the right of forest resources.
Chief Minister Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojna, Godhan Nyay Yojana, Gauthan programme, agricultural status to lac production and fisheries, raising the rate of collection of tendu leaves to Rs 4000, Shaheed Mahendra Karma social security scheme for tendu leaf collecting families, purchased on support price Mentioned the schemes to increase the number of minor forest produce from 7 to 52 now and to do their evaluation at the local level, fix the support price of minor cereal crops like Kodo-Kutki, etc.
The Chief Minister said that it is our priority to provide the services of doctors and teachers to every village. He said that great success has been achieved in eradicating malaria and reducing malnutrition in tribal areas. These programs have also been appreciated by NITI Aayog and UNDP. So far, more than 01 lakh 40 thousand children have become malnutrition free in the state due to the Chief Minister Suposhan Abhiyan. Similarly, more than 80 thousand women have got freedom from anemia. Medical facilities are being provided from the inaccessible to the inaccessible areas through Mukhyamantri Haat Bazar Clinic Scheme. So far 11 lakh villagers of tribal areas have been benefitted.
Where even the poorest students can get free excellent education. Success has been achieved in restarting hundreds of schools which were closed in Naxal affected areas of Bastar division. Direct recruitment is now being done on the posts of teachers lying vacant for years. In tribal areas, electricity is being arranged from solar energy while making hostels equipped with all facilities. The Chief Minister said that children of tribal areas are also setting new records in the field of entrepreneurship along with IIT and medical. He said that development and beautification of Devgudis and Ghotuls are being done for the protection and promotion of tribal culture. Under the Ramvan Gaman Path project, nine tourist centers are being developed from Korea to Sukma in the first phase. With the aim of promoting tribal culture on a global scale and promoting cultural exchange, the state International Tribal Festival was started in Dance teams from 6 countries along with 25 states participated in the last event.
The Chief Minister said that following the policy of development, trust and security, the government has taken effective steps to establish peace in the Naxal infested areas. Taking initiative in this direction, 718 cases registered against 944 tribals have been withdrawn. In order to ensure the participation of the local people in the local development, in the authorities, instead of the Chief Minister, MLAs have been made the Speaker. In Surguja and Bastar divisions, a Junior Selection Board has been constituted for the appointment of local people in government jobs on priority. He said that without industrial development of Bastar, it is not possible to imagine the all round development of Bastar. The government has accepted this as a challenge. Many small steel plants are being established in Bastar, due to which thousands of people will get direct and indirect employment.
Tribal Development Minister Dr. Premsai Singh Tekam said that Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country where the rights of Gram Sabha forest resources are being given. He called upon the people of the tribal society to unite and take maximum benefit of the schemes of the state government. Forest Minister Shri Mohammad Akbar said that maximum forest produce in the country has been purchased on support price in Chhattisgarh. Chhattisgarh has been given national awards for this by TRIFED. He gave detailed information about the provisions of the Chief Minister’s Tree Plantation Promotion Scheme. Industry Minister Mr. Kawasi Lakhma, Higher Education Minister Mr. Umesh Patel, Revenue Minister Mr. Jaisingh Agarwal and Women and Child Development Minister Mrs. Anila Bhendia, Parliamentary Secretary Dr. Laxmi Dhruv, Mr. Shishupal Sori, Mrs. Ambika Singh Deo, participated in the program through virtual medium. MLA Shri Gulab Kamro, Shri Chandan Kashyap,
