MARGAO
Asserting the government is committed to disposing of the Forest Rights Cases (FRCs) in the next four years, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday made a fervent plea to the tribal community not to dispose of the land under the FRCs, cautioning that it would bring outsiders into the tribal areas and destroy the local economy.
The Chief Minister, however, said the government will not allow the sale of the land given to the tribals under the Forest Rights Cases to outsiders.
Speaking at the birth anniversary celebrations of tribal leader and freedom fighter Bhagwan Birsa Munda at the Gomant Vidya Niketan and the BJP district office, Margao on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said the tribal community should protect their land and hand over the same to the new generation instead of selling the land received under the Forest Rights Cases to outsiders.
“My appeal to my tribal brothers is not to sell the land after getting the sanads under the Forest Rights Cases. The forest will be destroyed if the land is sold to outsiders. Instead, the land should be preserved and handed over to the next generation”, he said.
While promising that his government is taking all possible measures to dispose of the 10,000 Forest Rights cases in the State, the Chief Minister said around 500 claims have been disposed of to date and another 1,500 cases should be hopefully disposed of by next year.
“My government has taken measures to speed up the process of disposal of FRCs. Bhagwan Birsa Munda had fought for the rights of the tribals over land, their houses and fields. My government is committed to disposing of the cases by handing over the sanads to the beneficiaries,” he said.
The Chief Minister also appealed to the tribal community members, both hailing from Hindu and Catholic communities, to obtain the ST certificate to avail benefits of central and state schemes.
Saying that the tribal leaders including Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar, Govind Gaude, Meng Gaonkar, Anthony Barbosa and others have been petitioning him with issues facing the community, the Chief Minister said the government is committed to taking the ST schemes to the doorsteps of the community.
Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar, Sports Minister Govind Gaude, party MLAs Digambar Kamat, and Ulhas Tuenkar, besides party ST leaders, Prabhakar Gaonkar, Anthony Barbosa, ST councillors Camilo Barretto, Milagrina Gomes and others participated in the programme.
Make bureaucracy proactive to enforce Central schemes for tribals: Speaker
MARGAO:
Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar on Tuesday underscored the need for the government to make the bureaucracy proactive to implement a host of Central schemes for the benefit of the State tribal population.
The Speaker further urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to take the lead in ensuring that November 15, the birthday of national tribal leader Bhagwan Birsa Munda is declared a public holiday.
He also called for building a befitting memorial in memory of the two tribal youth, Manguesh Gaonkar and Dilip Velip, who had lost their lives in the 2011 Balli agitation called by UTAA in support of the 12-point charter of demands, including reservations for jobs and educational institutions for the tribal community.
“There are a lot of Central government schemes meant for the tribal community. The Centre is keen on funding these schemes meant for the tribals. Goa too can tap these schemes provided the Chief Minister makes the bureaucracy proactive to implement them,” Tawadkar said.
