The Chhattisgarh government on Tuesday implemented the extension of panchayat rights in scheduled areas — PESA Rule-2022.
With this, tribals in a State where they constitute 33% of the population, will now be able to take their own decisions related to water, forest, land. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel made the announcement on the occasion of the World Tribal Day
PESA is a Central law that has been in existence since the 1990s. However, the implementation of the law depends on the State-specific. Chhattisgarh has formed its set of rules while many States with significant tribal population are yet to implement the provisions of the Act.
“The implementation of the PESA Act will further empower the Gram Sabhas to protect the tribal rights. According to the new rules, 50% of the members of the Gram Sabha will be from tribal communities and 25% of this 50% would be the female members,” said Mr. Baghel.
He also listed some of the other initiatives the Congress government in the State had taken in the past three years of its tenure.
‘’The State government is procuring 65 kinds of minor forest produce at support price, and this is leading towards the economic empowerment of tribal people. Tribal people of Bastar and Surguja regions are now demanding opening of banks for their villages. The State government is making sincere efforts to provide better healthcare facilities to the tribals, as a result of which malaria cases have reduced by 65%. Moreover, lakhs of people are also being benefited from Chief Minister Haat Bazar Clinic,’’ he said.
