17 hours ago
Raghubar slams govt for non-implementation of PESA Act
Dumka: Former chief minister Raghubar Das on Saturday criticised the state govt for being indifferent towards the implementation of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) (PESA) Act, 1996, in the state.
Das said, "The tribal society has been deprived of the benefits of the Union govt funds due to the non-implementation of the PESA Act though the community comprises the major support base of JMM, which is the ruling party in the state govt coalition. Jharkhand lost the Rs 1,400crore allotted by the central finance commission in the 2024-25 financial year as the state govt failed to introduce the PESA Act during its subsequent terms.
The situation persisted even after JMM promised the electorate to implement the PESA Act in its election manifesto."
"The implementation of the PESA Act would ensure 'Abua Raj' in real term as it would provide the traditional self-rule system of the tribal society a legal status in the 13 districts, comprising 112 blocks, which fall under the scheduled areas. The empowerment of the traditional self-rule bodies through the PESA Act will, in turn, go a long way in preventing the ongoing conversion of the tribals, otherwise being supported by the ruling alliance at the cost of the existence of the community and its culture," he alleged, accusing JMM of betraying the tribal society.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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The former Odisha governor further said, "The backward and Dalit community members were at the receiving end as central funds to the tune of hundreds of crores of rupees could not be released to the urban and rural civic bodies for development works. Finance minister Radha Krishna Kishore, through a letter to the CM, mentioned that the condition of Dalits was worse than that of the PVTG communities."
While local JMM office bearers didn't respond, spokesperson for the state Congress, part of the ruling coalition, Shyamal Kishore Singh, refuted the allegations. "The state govt was committed to implement the PESA act. State Congress in-charge K Raju presided over a meeting with the party's district presidents on Saturday on the implementation of the PESA act. The district presidents have been directed to submit the reports to the party after due consultations with common people of the respective areas falling under the fifth schedule.
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The state rural development department had held a state-level consultation with different stakeholders for seeking suggestions on the issue in Ranchi a few days ago.
