Latest news with #RecognitionofForestRightsAct
Hans India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Rs 75 cr infrastructure boost for SC/ST colonies in Chittoor
Chittoor: Chittoor district Collector Sumit Kumar has called on tribal families to ensure that all children receive proper education. He participated as the chief guest in the World Adivasi Day celebrations on Saturday. Speaking after paying floral tributes to freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju, the Collector said that tribal communities still face multiple challenges, including poor road and electricity access, low literacy rates, and lack of digital facilities. He said the district has about 60,000 tribals in nearly 600 habitations, and Rs 75 crore is being spent on improving infrastructure in SC/ST colonies. For the first time in Chittoor, under the Recognition of Forest Rights Act (ROFR) Act 2006, 50 beneficiaries in Thumbapalyam village, Bangarupalem mandal, were granted fishing rights in forest ponds, benefiting tribal fisher families. He urged tribals to directly approach his office with grievances and make full use of educational and hostel facilities. In Somala mandal's Mucchu Kalva, 22 Yanadi families received land title passbooks for 20 acres. Joint Collector G Vidyadhari urged tribals to utilise all state and central schemes and apply for housing titles through village secretariats. Padel praised the historic role of tribals in Alluri's fight against the British and encouraged sending children to school. Mayor S Amuda highlighted Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's welfare and infrastructure projects in tribal areas. During the event, the SC Corporation provided Rs 2,20,292 to three beneficiaries for farm borewell electrification. The Tribal Welfare Department also distributed land ownership documents for 19.99 acres to 22 beneficiaries under the ROFR Act. Cultural performances by girls from the tribal gurukul school enthralled the audience. District officials including tribal welfare and empowerment officer S Murthy, tribal leaders, teachers, and students attended the celebrations.
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Survey for ‘non-indegenous' people residing on forest land in Guwahati
Guwahati: In a decisive move to safeguard the demographic integrity and ecological balance of Assam's capital city, the state govt has initiated a rigorous survey to identify "non-indigenous" people residing illegally on forest land in and around Guwahati. The city is home to 12 reserve forests, predominantly located in hill areas, which has a combined land area of 28,380 hectares. As of March 2024, approximately 4,107 hectares of this forest land are reported to be under encroachment. The current survey is specifically targeting these encroached forest lands, where authorities contend that large swathes have been unlawfully occupied by settlers, leading to disruptions in the city's social fabric and environmental sustainability. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma strongly emphasized that the survey will be strictly limited to non-indigenous people residing on forest land, who, according to the govt, have disrupted the state's demographic balance. He said the exercise was not related to any religion or ethnicity, but was solely focused on verifying whether these settlers meet the three-generation residency criterion, as stipulated by the Forest Rights Act. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo "It is not about religion or ethnicity, but about protecting Assam's indigenous population from demographic distortion caused by illegal encroachments," Sarma said. He further said, "The survey is strictly limited to non-indigenous people, who disrupt the demography of the state. It will ascertain whether they have been residing there for three generations." The CM further said indigenous people will receive their land documents under the third edition of the 'Basundhara' scheme and that the govt had no plans to evict them. Sarma also clarified that the survey will be conducted exclusively on forest land and not on revenue land.A key aspect of the survey involves verifying whether these residents have been living on the land for three generations or more, roughly equivalent to 75 years. This benchmark is derived from the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights Act) 2006. This Act is designed to protect the rights of two categories of forest dwellers: those belonging to Scheduled Tribes (ST) and those classified as 'other traditional forest dwellers.' To qualify as an 'other traditional forest dweller,' a resident must demonstrate continuous habitation in the forest for at least three generations. Officials indicated that while the hills of Guwahati are traditionally home to many ST communities, a significant number of non-ST settlers have also established themselves in these forest areas. This group reportedly includes a vast number of non-indigenous migrants who are considered single-generation settlers. The govt asserted that Assam's indigenous communities have long borne the brunt of unchecked illegal occupation, with outsiders allegedly altering population dynamics and exploiting forest lands, contributing to environmental degradation and social tensions. This survey is presented as a direct response, an unequivocal declaration that the state will no longer tolerate demographic engineering or land grabbing.
New Indian Express
01-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Arrests will happen soon after submission of KLIS probe report: TPCC chief Mahesh Kumar Goud
KHAMMAM: Once the Commission of Inquiry probing irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project submits its report, arrests will follow, said TPCC chief Mahesh Kumar Goud on Saturday. Stating that Congress has consistently advocated for the rights and welfare of tribal and Adivasi communities, from the era of Indira Gandhi to the present leadership under Rahul Gandhi, Mahesh Kumar Goud noted that it was Indira Gandhi who introduced the Land Ceiling Act to empower tribal communities with full implementation later achieved under former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao. He also credited Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra for strengthening the party's connection with grassroots communities, which led to initiatives like the caste census in Telangana and the launch of the Indira Soura Giri Jal Vikasam scheme. Under this programme, land ownership rights were granted to over 2.3 lakh tribal farmers through the Recognition of Forest Rights Act.
Hans India
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Solar pumpset scheme launch today; to light up lives of tribals
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will formally launch a flagship scheme of 'Indira Soura Giri Vikasam' in Macharam village of Amrabad mandal in Nagarkurnool district on Monday. The State government announced the new scheme with an outlay of Rs 12,600 crore to provide 100 per cent subsidy of Rs six lakh per unit to the beneficiaries who will get the solar pumpset facility for irrigation needs. State Energy Minister and Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka said that the new scheme was envisaged to provide solar-powered irrigation to six lakh acres in the next five years. Around 2.1 lakh tribal farmers holding RoFR titles, issued under the Recognition of Forest Rights Act (RoFR), 2006 will benefit under the scheme. 'As part of its efforts to uplift the economic and living standards of tribal farmers who were granted land rights under the Forest Rights Act enacted by the UPA government in 2006, the Telangana government has decided to launch this new flagship initiative,' Bhatti said. During the launch of the scheme, the CM will distribute pump sets to the tribal farmers. He will also address a public meeting after visiting Seetaramanjaneya Swamy temple. Later, CM Revanth Reddy will visit his hometown of Kondareddypalle and offer special puja at Anjaneya Swamy temple. As per the itinerary, the CM will return to Hyderabad from his home town in the evening.
The Hindu
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Stage being set for launch of Indira Solar Giri Water Development scheme
The State government is setting the stage for the launch of Indira Solar Giri Water Development scheme. The scheme, another major initiative of the Congress government, envisages to bring lands allotted to tribal communities under the RoFR Act [The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights Act, 2006)] into cultivation and empower the tribal communities economically. The scheme aims at benefitting tribal farmers who had been waiting for free power supply to cultivate their Podu cultivation, where forest land is cleared by cutting and burning vegetation to create fields. The process has, however, been hit by obstacles as administrative delays relating to clearances from the departments concerned, Forest department in particular. It was in this background, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka convened a meeting of senior officials to resolve the impasse in giving permissions to ensure uninterrupted power supply to these farms. Mr. Bhatti Vikramarka has asserted that the Congress government had allocated substantial funds for the scheme, which no other State in the country had made. The Indira Solar Giri Water Development Scheme is expected to cater to irrigation needs of six lakh acres benefitting over 2.1 lakh tribal farmers over the next five years. The scheme will be launched by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy at Mannanur in Achampet Assembly constituency on May 18 and it has been proposed that the entire Cabinet would be present at the event. The Deputy Chief Minister said the officials from the ITDA, electricity and horticulture departments would play a key role in the implementation of the project and wanted them to plan for effective rollout of the project. Selected tribal villages that received land titles would be surveyed for water availability and this would be followed by borewell drilling, installation of solar pumpsets, plantations, and drip irrigation systems to ensure farmers do not face difficulties. Mr. Bhatti Vikramarka suggested that cultivation of crops like avocado, bamboo, pomegranate, dragon fruit, and fig which would be remunerative. Officials concerned should accordingly conduct awareness programmes for tribal farmers in this direction. Officials concerned should visit other States where such experiments were met with success. The Deputy Chief Minister directed the officials concerned to identify crops that could generate yields and income in short term as plantations like palm oil and bamboo would take at least three years to generate income to farmers. He wanted the officials to explore options like Himachal Pradesh where organic vegetables were exported to the national capital for emulation in the ITDA areas.
