Bijat Patnaik

Bhubaneswar, May 9: Orissa continues to top among the states in implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act.

This was revealed from a review conducted by the central government through video conference today, said a senior state government official.

According to sources, the Orissa government has distributed land titles to 2.64 lakh traditional forest dwellers and 724 communities by end of April this year.

As on April 30, 4.49 lakh forest rights claims had been filed at the gram sabha-level, of which, 3.66 lakh were recommended by the gram sabhas to the sub-divisional-level committees. The sub-divisional-level committees recommended 2.78 lakh claims to the district-level committees. The district-level committees, headed by collectors, have approved 2.74 lakh claims for distribution of land titles as per provisions of the Forest Rights Act.

While 2.64 lakh traditional forest dwellers and 724 communities were distributed land titles by April end, more than 1.06 lakh claims were rejected at different levels.

Chief secretary Bijay Patnaik, who attended the video conference on behalf of the Orisssa government, had directed all the district collectors to expedite disposal of pending cases at the earliest, sources said. A target had also been set to distribute the balance land titles within a fortnight, said sources.

According to the earlier directions of the government, steps have been taken to converge different poverty eradication and livelihood programmes with the Forest Rights Act. Accordingly, 43,276 traditional forest dwellers have been provided with assistance under different poverty alleviation and livelihood schemes. While 13,293 traditional forest dwellers have been covered under the Indira Awas Yojana, 929 under Mo Kudia (my hut) scheme and 2,935 traditional forest dwellers under Mo Pokhari (my farm pond) Scheme.

Land development of 18,359 forest settlers has been taken up under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, while 3,577 beneficiaries have been benefited under the National Horticulture Mission and 4,183 have been covered under the poverty eradication programmes.

Patnaik has already advised the collectors to converge different poverty eradication programmes at the field-level to provide sustainable livelihood to the traditional forest dwellers, official sources said.

“Economic development of people depending on forest through alternative sustainable livelihood will lead to better protection of forests,” the chief secretary said earlier while addressing a review meeting in January this year.