By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh has taken a lead in the country in implementation of Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Rights) Act 2006 and Rules 2008.
The Act is being implemented by executing an Action Plan. While many other states of the country have yet to complete even the first phase of its implementation Madhya Pradesh has already started distribution of right papers.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the state wide campaign for distribution of the right papers at Niwas in Mandla district today. So far, 2.35 lakh claims have already been received from all parts of the state for this purpose.
It may be mentioned here that Madhya Pradesh has earned the distinction of being the first state in the country where villagers and forest dwellers were provided information of this Act in their own respective dialects and a widespread campaign was carried out for this purpose. An Action Plan was chalked out and executed for proper implementation of this Act keeping in view the possible future problems and other requirements of the beneficiaries. Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) device is being used in all the districts for this purpose. The claims are being verified fast with the assistance of this equipment.
As man as 39,561 claims have been received in Bhopal division; 6,428 in Hoshangabad division; 4054 in Indore division; 6706 in Ujjain division; 1953 in Chambal division; 36,989 in Gwalior division; 15,017 in Sagar division; 29,947 in Jabalpur division and 45,792 in Rewa division. ([email protected])