Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy launched a month-long distribution of Recognition of Forest Rights (RoFR) title deeds and passbooks to inhabitants of the Agency areas, from his camp office on Friday. He gave away RoFR passbooks to some beneficiaries present on the occasion.
The Chief Minister also virtually launched the civil works of the government medical college being set up at Paderu and multi-speciality hospitals at Sitampeta (Srikakulam), Parvatipuram (Vizianagaram), Rampachodavaram (East Godavari), Buttayagudem (West Godavari), and Dornala (Prakasam district).
According to an official release, RoFR documents, covering 3.12 lakh acres of the forest land, will be given away to 1.53 lakh tribal families in a month.
The beneficiaries are traditional forest dwellers who have a legitimate right to use the land for a living. A comprehensive survey preceded the distribution of the RoFR documents.
In his address, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said the government was committed to the welfare of tribal communities, who constitute about 6% of the population. He recalled that his father Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy did his best for the well-being of the tribal folks whose lives were inextricably linked to the forests.
Along with the RoFR title deeds, financial assistance would be given to the tribal people for growing various crops.
Advisory council
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said the government formed a tribal advisory council that would take care of the marginalised communities and took a path-breaking step of reserving 50% of the nominated posts and works awarded on nomination basis to SCs, STs, BCs and minorities. Besides, separate commissions were set up for the SCs and STs.
Ministers Botcha Satyanarayana, Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas, P. Pushpa Sreevani, Balineni Srinivasa Reddy and Audimulapu Suresh and Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney were among those present.
