Ranchi, May 15: Civil society organisations (CSOs) have raised objection on the draft prepared by the Panchayati Raj department of Jharkhand for PESA implementation in the state during a workshop held at a hotel in Ranchi on Thursday.
People associated with social organizations and experts openly expressed their views in this one-day workshop.
Department’s principal secretary Vinay Chaubey highlighted the draft prepared for PESA implementation by the government and informed about its importance.
During the program, District Panchayati Raj Officer of Khunti, Shishir Kumar, discussed in detail the draft of PESA Rules 2024 prepared by the Jharkhand government and gave its presentation.
On this occasion, former additional secretary of the National Advisory Council K Raju discussed in detail about the traditional Gram Sabha of Jharkhand and praised it and also gave many suggestions.
He said that PESA rules should be prepared by talking to the last person at the village level. He said that even if it is late, such rules should be made which become an example for the country. Apart from this, he suggested amending the JPRA Act 2001 and making a new Act for the Scheduled Area.
Although people associated with social organizations praised this initiative of the government, they rejected the PESA draft prepared by the department and said that there are many errors in it which cannot be accepted.
Dayamani Barla, a well known tribal rights activist, said that when it was being prepared in 2023, they had given the provisions of the PESA Act, but it was not included.
She felt that there is a provision to empower the Gram Sabha in PESA, but there are many things that have been left out. She also expressed concern over not returning the land of Land Bank to the tribals and called it a big obstacle.
Social activist Victor Malto said that the current draft cannot be accepted because an Act cannot be made an Act again.
“PESA Act is already made, so how can the JPRA Act be made,” he questioned.
Agriculture minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey talked about paying special attention to collectivity in the PESA rules.
She said that today the tribals are being identified by their water, forest, land, drain and tree, whose conservation is very important. On this occasion, expressing concern over exploitation by people in positions, she said that complaints are coming from many places that the heads of scheduled areas are taking Rs 500 in the pension of the disabled and Rs 20,000 each in the housing scheme.
Shilpi Neha Tirkey said that before finalizing the rules, a serious study of the report of Dilip Singh Bhuria Committee is necessary.
Education Minister Ramdas Soren and land revenue minister Deepak Birua praised this workshop and said that the government is determined to implement the PESA law in the state and steps are being taken in this direction.
On the suggestions received during the program, Panchayati Raj Minister Deepika Pandey Singh stressed that the government will keep these suggestions in mind. She assured that before implementing the PESA rules, the suggestions in accordance with the rules will be incorporated in the rules. She said that such rules will be made which will set an example in the whole country.
Some key points of the draft rules are as follows:
- Protection and development of tribals: Under the PESA Act, priority will be given to the protection of the rights of the tribal community and their sustainable development.
- Rights to the Gram Sabha: There was a demand to give executive rights to the Gram Sabhas, so that their participation in rural development can be ensured.
- The government has taken seriously the complaints of commission in pension and ‘Abua Awas’ schemes and measures will be taken to control it.
