By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act-2006 and Rule 2008 are being effectively implemented in a time-bound manner in Madhya Pradesh. So far, one lakh 48,000 claims have been received from forest dwellers and tribals.
Latest improved techniques are being applied in the survey work. An action plan has also been chalked out for Forest Rights Act’s implementation. Madhya Pradesh is pioneer in the Act’s implementation. As per division-wise breakup, 25676 claim forms have been received in Bhopal, 6428 in Hoshangabad, 21910 in Indore, 2593 in Ujjain, 1952 in Chambal, 31467 in Gwalior, 2191 in Sagar, 16823 in Jabalpur and 38981 in Rewa division.
It may be mentioned here that the Madhya Pradesh state government has undertaken several novel measures for effective implementation of the Act including appointment of nodal officers, translation of the Act in local and tribal dialects, notification of claims’ receipt by Gram Sabhas and evolving the monitoring system with the help of information technology.
Personal Digital Assistant (P.D.A.) is being utilisation for implementation of Forest Rights Act in all the district. This gadget is helpful in quick verification of claims. Special instructions have been issued to officers to see that no claimant faces any difficulty in filling up his claim form. Eight lakh copies of claim forms have been printed and distributed to Gram Sabhas so that every beneficiary gets it free of cost.
Survey teams have also been constituted for verification of claims. The work has already been started. Provision has been made to give incentive to those who motivate tribals to file their claims and help them in filling their forms and providing proofs.
Instructions have been issued to Gram Sabhas to start the process of resolution/determination. Notice forms for verification / survey have also been got printed by Forest Rights Committee and distributed to concerning districts. ([email protected])