Forest Rights Act for landless tribals: CM

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Wednesday February 20 2008 09:34 IST

Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has issued instructions for the implementation of provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and other traditional Forest-Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, to address the problems of landless tribal families.

To a question from Tara Prasad Bahinipati (Cong) on the Kandhamal riots, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in the Assembly that a number of initiatives had been taken by the Government to improve the socio-economic condition of tribal communities.

During 2007-08, the State Government opened 54 ST girls’ hostels in Kandhamal and seven residential ST girls’ high schools are proposed to be opened during 2008-09. The capacity of the DIET at Tikabali is being doubled in order to enable the boys and girls of Kandhamal district to become trained teachers.

Stating that special measures are being taken to promote cultivation of organic spices in the district, Naveen said a special grant of Rs 10 crore had been sanctioned to improve the infrastructure.

So far, 173 persons have been arrested for their involvement in the riots in the district. These persons are involved in 53 cases. However, 127 cases have been registered in connection with the riots. The cases are under investigation, he said.

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