Goa govt holds camps to fast-track forest rights claims of tribals
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant recently announced that all pending cases under the Act would be disposed of by December 19. The day is celebrated to mark Goa's Liberation from 450-year-long Portuguese colonial rule.
Panaji, Jun 15 (PTI) The Goa government on Sunday organised camps across six talukas to assist tribal and forest-dwelling communities in resolving long-pending claims under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
'The presence of local tribal leaders, village-level forest rights committees, Gram Sabha members, and other key stakeholders ensured the initiative was both grassroots-driven and outcomes-focused,' the spokesman said.
The camps were conducted in Sattari, Ponda, Dharbandora, Sanguem, Canacona, and Quepem talukas, he said.
The initiative was jointly conducted by the district administration, tribal welfare and forest departments, with full administrative coordination from deputy collectors and sub-divisional officers, the official said.
The chief minister, in a statement, emphasised the state government's commitment to implementing PM Modi's vision with full responsibility and speed.
He said the camps demonstrate the power of coordinated governance and the importance of reaching every citizen in need.
These efforts are part of a broader mission led by PM Modi's government to strengthen tribal rights, protect forest-dwelling communities, and ensure that development is inclusive, transparent, and time-bound, Sawant added. PTI RPS ARU
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
23 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
'No pause' on Russian oil purchase amid Trump tariffs, says Indian Oil Corporation chairman
AS Sahney, chairman of Indian Oil Corporation, said that India has not paused its oil purchases from Russia following US President Donald Trump's move to double the country's tariff, noting that New Delhi's buying decisions are solely based on economic considerations. Before February 2022, Russian crude oil accounted for less than 1 per cent of India's oil imports.(File Image) Refiners like IOC, which is India's largest oil firm, buy crude oil from Russia purely on economic consideration and have not been asked to cut or boost purchase in response to US tariffs, Sahney was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. The country's purchase volumes may reportedly fluctuate monthly on the basis of discounts offered on Russian crude grades like Urals. Previously, the discounts were as high as US$40 per barrel. However, last month, they narrowed down to just US$1.5, leading to reduced withdrawal. The dip then led the discounts to be widened to about US$2.70. India became the largest purchaser of Russian oil from 2022, after Western countries avoided Russian oil and imposed sanctions on Moscow for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The US President has given heat to India over its trade with Russia, saying that New Delhi is "fueling the war machine". Last week, he imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods in addition to the previously imposed 25 per cent, taking the total levies to 50 per cent. The US has repeatedly threatened to impose more tariffs if the purchases continue. However, the IOC chairman said, "There is no pause," in India's purchase of oil from Russia. It has continued to flow to Indian refiners in July and August. "We continue to buy, purely based on economic considerations, that is to say, if the pricing and characteristics of the crude make sense in our scheme of processing, we buy," Sahney told reporters. "No special effort is being made to either increase or decrease (the import volumes). We are buying crude as per economic considerations," he added. Before February 2022, Russian crude oil accounted for less than 1 per cent of India's oil imports. However, after Russia invaded Ukraine and the West shunned Russian energy, Moscow's crude became available at discounted rates in comparison to global benchmarks. India seized the opportunity and boosted its purchases, significantly increasing its Russian oil imports for domestic energy needs. Sahney further noted that at no time was there any sanction on Russian crude oil, saying that India, thus, continued to purchase based on its economic considerations. "There are no sanctions on Russian crude. India has not done anything that violates any sanctions," he added. "Such purchases will continue unless sanctions are imposed," Sahney said. He also mentioned that oil companies have not received any instructions from the government to either increase or decrease purchases. "We are doing business as usual," he added. The IOC Chairman also commented on whether refiners have been asked to increase purchases from US as an attempt to pacify Trump. "Neither are we being told to buy more nor are we told to buy less from US or any other destination. Economic considerations dictate our actions," Sahney said. Additionally, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) director (finance) Vetsa Ramakrishna Gupta said that imports took a hit last month after discounts on Russian oil dipped to US$1.5 per barrel. He said Russian oil made up 34 per cent of BPCL's crude intake in the first quarter, and added that the company hopes to return to 30 to 35 per cent ratio as long as there are no sanctions. (with PTI inputs)
Hindustan Times
23 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Pakistan PM announces formation of new Army Rocket Force Command days after threat to India
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during his address on Thursday on the occasion of the country's 79th Independence Day, announced the creation of a new force — the Army Rocket Force Command — in a bid to enhance its combat capabilities, reported PTI. Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif said that the new force will prove another milestone in further strengthening our conventional war capabilities. (File/REUTERS) Apart from him, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari, the three services chiefs, and national and foreign dignitaries were also present at the event. "Equipped with modern technology and capable of targeting the enemy from every direction, this force will prove another milestone in further strengthening our conventional war capabilities,' Prime Minister Sharif said during the event. Also read: 'Misadventure will lead to painful consequences': MEA on Pak's 'reckless' remarks However, Sharif did not provide any further details about the new force and what exactly would be its role. Pakistan's new force command is apparently inspired by its all-weather ally China's People's Liberation Army Rocket Force, the PTI report said. Shehbaz Sharif's announcement comes days after he said on Tuesday that the "enemy" would not be allowed to snatch 'even one drop' of water belonging to his country, apparently referring to the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with India. After the April 22 Pahalgam attack, India took a series of punitive measures against Pakistan, including putting the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. "I want to tell the enemy today that if you threaten to hold our water, then keep this in mind that you cannot snatch even one drop of Pakistan,' news agency PTI quoted Sharif as saying. India launched 'Operation Sindoor' on May 7, weeks after the Pahalgam attack which killed 26 people, and targeted nine terrorist sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which led to a four-day military confrontation between the two nations. The confrontation ended May 10 when both the nations reached a ceasefire understanding. (With PTI inputs)
Mint
23 minutes ago
- Mint
Uttarakhand to toughen anti-conversion law; life imprisonment, ₹10 lakh fine proposed — check details
The Uttarakhand government's move to bring another legislation to amend the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act is expected to make the law even more stringent. The amendment, approved by the state cabinet, aims to prevent religious conversions through coercion, fraud, or undue influence. The amendment legislation, approved by the state cabinet on Wednesday, proposes a maximum punishment of life imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹ 10 lakh for forced conversion. Currently, the maximum prison term for the offence in the state is 10 years and the highest fine is ₹ 50,000. This is the second legislation to amend the Act, which has been in force in the state since 2018. The first amendment was made in 2022. The Pushkar Singh Dhami-led government is preparing to introduce the legislation during the monsoon session of the state assembly, which is scheduled to begin on August 19, reported news agency PTI, citing sources. According to the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion (amendment) legislation, 2025, fraudulent or forced conversion would be a cognizable and non-bailable offence. In such cases, police will be allowed to arrest an offender without a warrant and bail will be granted only if the trial court (sessions court) is convinced that the accused is not guilty and would not repeat the offence. "Yet another amendment legislation to make the law even more strict has been occasioned by recent cases of conversions in the state aimed at demographic change," PTI quoted Ajendra Ajay, BJP leader and former chairman of Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple committee, as saying. Terming the cabinet's decision as historic, Ajay said: "An amended act with stricter provisions will work as a strong deterrent for potential offenders and help preserve the original identity of a border state like Uttarakhand, which is also known as Devbhoomi." The Bill also expands the definition of inducement to include any gift, gratification, easy money, or material benefit in cash or kind, employment, free education, promise of marriage, hurting religious faith, or glorifying another religion, categorising all of them as crimes. It also makes punishable acts such as promoting or inciting conversion through social media, messaging apps, or any online medium.
