They all love a tribal

First, to block development in their habitat and then to pose as exhibits for tourists

At an Adivasi Mela organised by Orissa’s SC/ST department in the state capital, about 250 tribals also became exhibits. Sitting in mock huts at the fair, they became, for about Rs 100 a day, faces of the state’s tribal programme. In the over 150 stalls, 29 housed aborigines picked from their villages by the government. Some were evidently ill at ease; others like Sada Juanga who was in the booth showcasing his tribe, the Juangas, pointed to the fallacy of some of the government’s claims: he comes from a village in Keonjhar where there is no electricity, yet he has become the chosen one in Bhubaneswar, the selection having been made by the local Integrated Tribal Development Agency.

The tribals have again become easy mascots. Two years ago, the battle against Vedanta was fought in the name of, among others, the Kutia Kondhs who live in the foothills of Niyamgiri. What is appalling is that the powers that can resist development in the name of protecting tribal habitat, would also find it convenient to turn the very same people into showpieces. That too, ironically, often of progress that has not reached them still.

It should be a tribal’s choice to decide whether she should be part of a government programme or not — whether in her village or in the state capital. But this instance of adivasi-as-exhibit, coming after the circulation of a video of dancing Jarawa women in the Andamans, shows how little-thought-out and even contradictory our tribal policies are and how insensitive the state can be to their concerns and dignity while framing programmes or taking steps, in segregating or mainstreaming as the case may be.Courtesy:The Indian Express

आदिवासी छात्रों के लिए शिक्षा ऋण योजना

नई दिल्ली,: केंद्रीय जनजातीय कार्य एवं पंचायती राज मंत्री वी किशोर चंद्र देव ने गुरुवार को आदिवासी छात्रों के लिए शिक्षा ऋण योजना का शुभारंभ किया। राष्ट्रीय अनुसूचित जनजाति वित्त एवं विकास निगम की ओर से शुरू की गई आदिवासी शिक्षा ऋण योजना के तहत छह प्रतिशत ब्याज पर छात्रों को उच्च और तकनीकी शिक्षा के लिए आसानी से कर्ज मिलेगा। इस शिक्षा ऋण योजना का आगाज करते हुए देव ने कहा कि शैक्षणिक संस्थानों में आदिवासी छात्रों के लिए सीटें आरक्षित होने के बावजूद अधिकांश सीटें खाली रह जाती हैं। गरीबी के कारण आदिवासी छात्रों को उच्च शिक्षा प्राप्त करने में कठिनाई होती थी। इस कठिनाई को खत्म करने के लिए सरकार ने यह ऋण योजना शुरू की है। इस शिक्षा ऋण योजना के तहत निगम पात्रता रखने वाले अनुसूचित जनजाति के छात्रों को रियायती ब्याज दर पर अधिकतम पांच लाख रुपये तक का कर्ज मुहैया कराएगा। यह कर्ज पीएचडी सहित उच्च शिक्षा और तकनीकी शिक्षा के लिए होगा। विश्वविद्यालय अनुदान आयोग, सरकार, ऑल इंडिया काउंसिल फॉर टेक्निकल एजूकेशन (एआइसीटीई) और इंडियन काउंसिल ऑफ मेडिकल रिसर्च (आइसीएमआर) द्वारा मान्यता प्राप्त संस्थानों में उच्च शिक्षा के लिए यह कर्ज मुहैया कराया जाएगा। इस शिक्षा ऋण योजना को मानव संसाधन विकास मंत्रालय की ब्याज सब्सिडी योजना के साथ लिंक करने की कार्रवाई भी शुरू कर दी गई है। इससे आर्थिक रूप से कमजोर वर्गो के लिए मोराटोरियम पीरियड के दौरान संपूर्ण ब्याज सब्सिडी दी जाती है। ग्रामीण क्षेत्र के लिए 39,500 रुपये सालाना और शहरी क्षेत्र के लिए 54,500 रुपये सालाना आय वाले अनुसूचित जनजाति के छात्र इस कर्ज योजना का फायदा उठा सकेंगे। कर्ज में प्रवेश शुल्क, परीक्षा, पुस्तकालय, लैब, ट्यूशन फीस, रहने-खाने, कॉशन मनी, बिल्डिंग फंड, किताब, स्टेशनरी, कंप्यूटर, उपकरणों, स्टडी टूर, प्रोजेक्ट वर्क और इंश्योरेंस प्रीमियम की मद शामिल होंगी। राष्ट्रीय अनुसूचित जनजाति वित्त एवं विकास निगम की स्थापना अप्रैल 2001 में की गई थी। यह निगम आदिवासियों के कल्याण के लिए कई अन्य योजनाएं भी चला रहा है। इनमें मियादी ऋण योजना, आदिवासी महिला सशक्तिकरण योजना, लघु ऋण योजना, स्वयं सहायता योजना और ट्राइफेड के प्रशिक्षित कारीगरों के लिए योजनाएं शामिल हैं।

श्रमिकों के लिए न्यूनतम वेतन निर्धारित

कोलकाता : राज्य सरकार ने मंगलवार को विभिन्न क्षेत्रों में काम करने वाले श्रमिकों का संशोधित न्यूनतम वेतन निर्धारित किया। इस अवसर पर श्रम मंत्री पुर्णेदु बसु ने कहा कि जो व्यवसायी श्रमिकों को न्यूनतम वेतन नहीं दे सकते हैं वे व्यवसाय न करें क्योंकि इस सिलसिले में सुप्रीम कोर्ट का स्पष्ट आदेश है कि श्रमिकों को न्यूनतम वेतन अवश्य मिलना चाहिए। उन्होंने कहा कि वर्तमान में जो न्यूनतम वेतन निर्धारित किया गया है वह तीन लोगों के भोजन का खर्च है जबकि प्रत्येक श्रमिक को इससे अधिक लोगों का खर्च उठाना पड़ता है। उन्होंने कहा कि करीब 55 क्षेत्रों में काम करने वालों के वेतन निर्धारित किये जायेंगे लेकिन तत्काल 31 क्षेत्रों में काम करने वालों के वेतन निर्धारित किया गया है। इसमें बेल मेटल एंड ब्रश इंडस्ट्री, सेरामिक इंडस्ट्री, कंस्ट्रक्शन या मेंटिनेंस आफ रोड्स, दाल मिल, आटा मिल, तेल मिल, पेंट्स एंड केमिकल फैक्ट्रीज, पेपर बोर्ड एंड स्ट्रा बोर्ड मैन्यूफैक्चरिंग इंडस्ट्री, प्लास्टि्रक इंडस्ट्री, सिक्यूरिटी सर्विस आदि जैसे व्यवसाय हैं जिनमें काम करने वालों की न्यूनतम पारिश्रमिक तय की गयी है। महीने में 26 दिन से अधिक काम नहीं लिया जाना चाहिए। उन्होंने कहा कि न्यूनतम वेतन से कम पर यूनियनें प्रबंधन के साथ समझौता न करें। जरूरत पड़ने पर यूनियनों को सरकार व प्रबंधन के साथ बैठक कर श्रमिकों के लिए न्यूनतम वेतन निर्धारित वेतन निर्धारित करना चाहिए। श्री बसु ने कहा कि कम से कम एक अनाड़ी श्रमिक को भी 26 दिन काम करने पर 4218 रुपये मासिक वेतन मिलना अनिवार्य किया गया है। थोड़ा जानकार श्रमिक को 4640 रुपये और जानकार श्रमिकों के लिए 5104 रुपये कम से कम मिलना चाहिए। उन्होंने स्पष्ट कहा कि जिन लोगों को व्यवसाय करना है वे न्यूनतम वेतन अवश्य दें या फिर व्यवसाय बंद कर दें लेकिन कर्मचारियों की कीमत पर पश्चिम बंगाल में व्यवसाय करना अनुचित है।

 

 

Govt firm on bauxite mining in Agency

VISAKHAPATNAM: In what could be seen as a fresh attempt to push through the bauxite mining project in Vizag Agency despite strong opposition from local tribals, rights groups and Maoists, the government is planning to conduct a public hearing by December this year.

Sources said the government is firm on mining the abundant bauxite reserves much against the wishes of the locals. The public hearing is being rushed so that mining activity could begin in early 2012. This contradicts the claims of Union minister for tribal welfare Kishore Chandra Deo, representing Araku LS in the Agency, who assured the tribals of scrapping the proposed project. “After becoming Union minister, Kishore promised that he would see to it that bauxite mining is stopped. But a central team was sent secretly to conduct a survey here,” a Human Rights Forum leader said.Courtesy:TimesofIndia.

Dilution of forest act on GoM agenda

 Chetan Chauhan,

A Group of Ministers (GoM) on Tuesday will discuss a proposal to dilute provisions of the Forest Rights Act to fasten clearance to coal and mining projects in forest areas.
A committee headed by B K Chaturvedi, member (planning commission), had suggested that requirement of 50% of the

gram sabha members to constitute quorum for conducting the meeting should not apply if the first meeting had been postponed for want of quorum.

It would mean that project would be considered even if less than half of the village body members are present.

Ministries such as coal and power had termed the quorum condition to get consent of the gram sabha as a reason for delaying approval to project. As per environment ministry’s circular of 2009, consent of gram sabha is must for consideration of a proposal by ministry’s Forest Advisory Committee (FAC). The FAC approves projects related to diversion of forestland.

Chaturvedi committee’s recommendation had evoked strong reaction from home minister P Chidambaram who said that developers may adopt certain unacceptable practices to deprive locals from their due benefits. Road highways minister C P Joshi also spoke against dilution of FRA saying interests of tribals should be protected.

Environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan suggested that views of the tribal affairs minister Kishore Chandra Deo should be taken before taking the call on dilution of FRA provisions.

Union finance minister Pranab Mukerjee had invited Deo for the Tuesday’s meeting.

“I will take a view on the issue at the GoM,” the tribal affairs minister told HT. But, government officials said agreeing to dilution of the FRA provisions would be difficult as it will open a pandora’s box for similar demands from other ministries. “The law will loose its basic aim to protect rights of the forest dwellers,” an official said. The GoM, which now has new members is expected to take key decisions on environment clearance process.Courtesy: HindustanTimes

No mining by PSUs for trade in Scheduled Areas: tribal affairs minister

Richard Mahapatra, Kumar Sambhav S…

‘Forest departments worst enemy of Forest Rights Act’

V Kishore Chandra DeoThe Union minister for tribal affairs and panchayati raj, V Kishore Chandra Deo, says he does not want public sector companies (PSUs) to undertake mineral exploration in Scheduled Areas or tribal-dominated areas as listed in the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution. These areas enjoy special powers and privileges. In an interview to Down To Earth (DTE), Deo pointed out that the Constitution does not allow private companies to mine in Scheduled Areas. But mining by PSUs for trade purposes also violates the Constitutional provision in ‘spirit’, he says.

“Minerals are our national wealth. Even PSUs should undertake mining only for their own consumption. There should be no mineral lifting for outright trade. And when I say PSUs, I mean state enterprises that require minerals for their own production and not the companies that trade in minerals,” he says.

The Constitution does not allow private companies to mine in Scheduled Areas, so why should PSUs be allowed to mine for trade purposes The prime minister reportedly called Deo last month and mandated him to take measures to revitalise Forest Rights Act and Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act ‘If I feel it is necessary to go for a further legislation to ensure states compliance with the provisions of PESA, I will have to do that’

Deo spoke to DTE on a wide range of contentious issues relating to the tribal areas of the country, plagued by Naxalite violence. He disclosed that by the end of October, or even before that, he would bring out a ‘package’ that would streamline the implementation of key legislations, like the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA). Terming the forest department as the worst enemy of FRA, he says the department must now ‘realise’ that tribal development is a ‘serious’ national issue, attracting the right political attention. Going by sources in the ministry, the Prime Minister called Deo last month and mandated him to take measures to revitalise FRA and PESA.

Implementation of PESA has been afflicted by non-issuance of guidelines at the level of individual states for the past 15 years. Saying this as a Constitutional violation, Deo warned a legislation would be brought into effect to ensure states comply with the provisions of PESA. The legislation, enacted in 1996, gives rights to own and manage the forest resources to the village in the Scheduled Areas of the country. But the Act has not been implemented in several states as they have not even formulated the rules required to implement it. “That is a violation of the Constitution. I am taking up the issues with States, and if I feel it is necessary to go for a further legislation to ensure states compliance with the provisions of PESA, I will have to do that,” says Deo.

On FRA, he assured changes that will make it effective. FRA recognises the rights of the forest dwellers over forest resources they have been traditionally using; the Act’s implementation is beset by many problems. The minister is now working on the changes required to be made in the rules of the Act to make sure it is properly implemented. He said the changes will be presented before the Cabinet within a month. “If the changes in the rules will not solve the purpose, we can also go for an amendment in the Act when Parliament is in session,” the minister says. He said joint forest management (JFM) is a violation of FRA where it is applicable. “Giving FRA recognition to areas under JFM is a scandal. It must stop,” he says.Courtesy:Downtoearth.

Tribals demand restoration of all alienated land

The tribal and some other organizations of Attappady here on Wednesday have rejected Government offer to return 85.21 acres of land encroached by multinational windmill companies and the income from two windmills constructed in it.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy during his briefing after State Cabinet meeting announced in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday that 85.21 acres of tribal land encroached by windmill companies will be returned to tribal people and also income from two windmills in the land to them.

But the tribal organizations alleged that “this move of Government is to halt the legal actions and criminal proceedings initiated last year against windmill companies who allegedly fabricated documents to annex tribal land.”

As per Government Order (GO) No.4866\2010 of November 12, 2010 the Government accepted the report of High Power Committee appointed by it on tribal land headed by Chief Secretary and initiated Departmental and other actions against fabricating land documents and officials involved in its making and getting it registered in Agali Sub Registrar office.

Five government officials of Attappady Hill Area Development Society (AHADS) and a Village Officer were suspended.

Three of hem had to take bail going to Supreme Court and one from High Court.

High Power Committee found that entire land in Survey No.1273 and 1275 of Kottathara village except 42 acres of forest was owned by tribes as they are paying land tax regularly.

The total area of Survey No.1275 was only 224 acres of which 42 acres are forest.

But 268 acres of land was registered in the name of windmill companies using fabricated documents.

In Survey No.1273 has only 8.5 acres that belonged to tribal people. But this land was also registered in the name of windmill companies, Mr. Sukumaran, Convenor of Attappady Samrakshana Samithy said.

High Power Committee directed Sub Registrar to cancel these documents and initiate action against those involved in fabricating it.

Vigilance Department had initiated action against these fabricated documents and other malpractices.

“When these actions are progressing the Government move to settle the issue by giving back 85 acres of land and profit from two windmills to tribal people is to sabotage the legal actions to help windmill companies and their agents,” said President of Girijan Seva Samithy U.C. Kunchan.

They have demanded return of the entire land in survey no.1273 and 1275 that were found to be tribal land by High Power Committee.

Not only this encroached land but they wanted the restoration of 10,796 acres of land that were found to be alienated in Attappady over the years to find a lasting solution to the vexed tribal land issue.Courtesy;TheHindu.

आदिवासियों ने चाय बागान पर बोला धावा

 पोठिया (किशनगंज), : गोरुखाल पंचायत के कच्चाखुबा में साढ़े चार सौ एकड़ जमीन में फैले चाय बागान पर सोमवार को परंपरागत हथियारों से लैस आदिवासियों ने एक बार फिर धावा बोल कब्जा जमा लिया। पिछले एक सप्ताह के अंदर प्रखंड में आदिवासियों द्वारा चाय बागान पर धावा बोलने की यह तीसरी घटना है। सुबह कच्चाडूबा स्थित चाय बागान में तीर धनुष से लैस आदिवासियों ने पहले बागान में काम कर रहे मजदूरों को खदेड़ दिया और फिर चारों ओर लाल झंडा गाड़कर वहीं बैठ गए। मौके पर पहुंचे एडीएम शत्रुघन प्रसाद, एसडीओ सियाराम सिंह, एसडीपीओ नरेन्द्र कुमार, डीसीएलआर कमर आलम, सीओ जनमेजय शुक्ल, पोठिया थानाध्यक्ष संजय कुमार झा ने आंदोलनकारियों को समझाने का काफी प्रयास किया लेकिन आदिवासी एक स्वर में पहले जमीन की मापी कराकर दखल दिलाने की मांग पर अड़े रहे।

Aid to tribals in land fight

New Delhi, Sept. 10: The Centre is planning to carry out a land survey in 60 Maoist-affected districts and provide legal aid to tribals fighting disputes over plots amid concerns that tribal dispossession was the main reason behind the growth of Naxalism.

Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh today said a large number of tribals had lost land to non-tribals.

“We have to document these cases and provide legal assistance to tribals who are fighting land alienated disputes,” he told at a media conference.

The minister said about 75,000 such disputes over tribal land were pending in various courts in Andhra Pradesh alone. Thousands of similar cases were pending in courts in Orissa, Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

These cases against tribals had been filed over the past 50-60 years when their traditional rights were not recognised by earlier forest laws. However, the Forest Rights Act, enacted in 2006, recognised the rights of tribal people over their land.

At a conference in November 2009, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had expressed displeasure over the cases against the tribal people and said “the heavy hand of criminal justice system has become a source of harassment and exploitation”.

The rural development ministry will hold a conference of collectors of the 60 Maoist-affected districts and state officials on Tuesday to discuss the modalities for providing legal aid to the tribals.

“Tribal land has been transferred to non-tribals. The main problem in these districts is related to land. When the land issue is lingering, the Naxalites are finding scope to enter into these areas and associate with tribals,” Ramesh said.

In most Maoist-affected districts, land records are not maintained. This leads to encroachment on the rights of weaker sections. The ministry will carry out a survey, both aerial and on the ground, to find out the ownership of every piece of land in these districts so that land records could be updated.

The ministry has already started a scheme to support states in computerising land records and strengthening revenue administration. On Thursday, Ramesh said his ministry was working on a “land titling project” and planned to digitise such records for a complete picture of authentic ownership of every piece of land.

At present, there is hardly any digital record of such data.

Tuesday’s conference will also discuss ways to speed up implementation of rural development schemes to address the problem of backwardness of areas inhabited by tribals.Courtesy:TheTelegrph.

मांदर की थाप पर थिरक उठी कैमूर पहाड़ी

नौहट्टा (रोहतास),: आदिवासियों के महापर्व कर्मा-धर्मा पर गुरुवार की रात कैमूर पहाड़ी मांदर की थाप पर थिरक उठी। रोहतासगढ़ किला परिसर में नौ दिनों तक चले कार्यक्रम के अंतिम दिन गुरुवार को कर्म वृक्ष की पूजा अर्चना में आदिवासी लीन रहे। पूजा खत्म होते ही मांदर की थाप पर महिलाएं एवं पुरुष थिरक उठे। परंपरा के मुताबिक दो खेमों में बंट मांदर की थाप पर झूमर गीत पर नाचते गाते रात बिताई। महिलाएं पुरुष का रूप धारण कर हाथ में तीर धनुष ले जंगल में शिकार करने जाती हैं। जंगली जानवरों का शिकार कर किला परिसर में सामूहिक भोज का आयोजन किया जाता है। पिपरडीह पंचायत के पूर्व मुखिया 75 वर्षीय जगदीश उरांव बताते हैं कि हम कर्म में विश्र्वास रखते हैं। इसलिए नौ दिनों तक लगातार इस पर्व को मनाते हुए अंतिम दिन कर्म वृक्ष व वन देवी की पूजा अर्चना करते हैं। ताकि वनदेवी हम पर प्रसन्न हो साल भर हमारे जीविकोपार्जन का साधन उपलब्ध कराती रहें। पूरे आयोजन का केंद्र बिंदु बने ऐतिहासिक रोहतास गढ़ किले के अलावा रेहल, पिपरडीह, यदुनाथपुर, कोरहास के जंगलों में भी गांव के बैगा (पुजारी) की देखरेख में सामूहिक आयोजन किया गया। इस मौके पर आधे दर्जन आदिवासी जोडि़यों की शादी भी संपन्न करायी गई। हालांकि इस बार कैमूर पहाड़ी पर नक्सलियों से बढ़ी आदिवासियों की दूरी के चलते पिछले एक महीने से घर बार छोड़ कर समतल इलाके में पलायन कर चुके कई परिवारों के कारण पर्व में उत्साह थोड़ा कम दिखा। पहले इस मौके पर यहां झारखंड व छत्तीसगढ़ राज्य से भी आदिवासी अपनी कुल देवी को पूजने आया करते थे।