R.P. Sisodia, Principal Secretary of the Tribal Welfare Department, said that the government is committed to providing lands to eligible tribals as per Recognition of Forest Rights Act 2006. He was speaking at a workshop on ‘Issues on implementation of RoFR Act 2006’ at Hotel Daspalla here on Saturday.
Speaking to officials from Revenue, Forest, ITDA and other departments, Mr. Sisodia said that tribals are original inhabitants of the forests.
“Due to pressures from the general population, they are forced to move to hilltop villages. After realising that they need to be given rights, the government has enacted the RoFR Act. In the Act, there is a provision that states that those who have been cultivating prior to December 13, 2005, have the right of the land,” Mr. Sisodia said.
He also said that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, during his padayatra, assured people that he would allot lands to eligible tribals by Februray 2020. He said that officials from departments concerned should coordinate with each other and identify eligible tribals.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Prateep Kumar made it clear that no eligible candidate should be rejected. He also said that the officials should create awareness among illiterate people and facilitate filing of claims. ITDA Project Director D.K. Balaji, Joint Collector L. Shiva Shankar, and a few others spoke about various issues being faced in the implementation of the RoFR Act.
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