Shillong, Nov. 22: The Union ministry of environment and forests has urged the governments of the northeastern states to initiate measures for improving basic infrastructure in forest villages.

Meghalaya has 23 such villages.

The number of forest villages in Assam is 499 followed by 85 in Mizoram and 62 in Tripura.

An official statement issued here today said the Centre had urged these state governments to take comprehensive steps to improve basic infrastructure in tribal villages so that these villages get better access to basic services like healthcare, education, drinking water, sanitation, electricity, irrigation, markets and livelihood.

According to the statement, the tribals living in the forest villages are living in a precarious condition as they do not get the benefits of various welfare schemes since the jurisdiction of the block and revenue authorities do not cover the forest villages.

There are nearly 3,000 forest villages in the country, of which over 500 have been converted into revenue villages in the last four years.

In 2005, the ministry approved diversion of forestlands for providing basic development facilities to the tribals or forest villages as envisaged in Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.

The facilities which need to be provided include schools, dispensaries or hospitals, electricity and communication lines.

Other needs are drinking water, rainwater harvesting structures, minor irrigation canal, non-conventional sources of energy, vocational training centres, power sub-stations, police stations or border outposts in sensitive areas.