Naveen seeks Central fund for Watershed Mission

The chief minister Naveen Patnaik today sought Central assistance to improve the productivity of rainfed lands through Watershed Mission.

The state government has started the mission and it could be extended to develop lands being settled in favour of the tribals under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (recognition of forest rights) Act 2006 with the Central government assistance, he said.

Addressing the conference of chief ministers, state tribal and social welfare ministers on the implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (recognition of forest rights) Act 2006, , inaugurated by the Prime minister, he stated that scheduled tribes constitute almost a quarter of the total population of the state.

Orissa has the unique distinction of having 62 different types of scheduled tribe communities and 13 particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PTGs).

The state government has taken several initiatives including setting up of 1004 scheduled tribe girls’ hostels, enhancement of scholarship for scheduled tribe boys and girls, establishment of 19 educational complexes in micro project areas for promotion of girl child education among the PTGs, establishment of one B.Ed training college in Kandhamal and setting up of 11 Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS).

The state government is also committed to establish another 5000 scheduled tribe girls’ hostel over a period of five years.

Patnaik said, substantial progress has been made on implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and about 2.64 lakh cases have already been verified out of more than 3 lakh cases filed by the tribals with the Forest Rights Committees (FRCs) as on 31st October 2009.

The Gram Sabhas have approved about 2 lakh cases out of which 72,000 cases have been recommended by the Sub Divisional Level Committees. The District Level Committees have approved about 68,000 cases out of which certificates of title have been distributed to more than 55,000.

Stating that it might not be enough to only confer legal rights to the tribals over the land, the chief minister suggested that steps should be initiated to provide irrigation facilities and improve productivity of these lands by dovetailing various programmes such as National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS).